Across the Table
by Rozzy0
Summary: Fifty moments in the life of Harry and Ginny, captured at Harry's kitchen table. Written for the "50 Art of Words" challenge on HPFC.
1. Drunk

_A/N: This story is in response to the "50 Art of Words" Challenge on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum. I'll be writing 50 drabbles (exactly 250 words in this case) in the life of Harry and Ginny, each inspired by a prompt._

_Each drabble will feature a moment at Harry's kitchen table. They're set a few years after the end of the war. I've worked out a bit of a backstory which I might reveal as we go on - I'll just say that Ginny is not living with Harry but spends most of her time at his flat. The drabbles are in chronological order, one for each day._

_I have six of these written so far, so I'll hopefully be updating quickly. Enjoy!_

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**1. Drunk  
****Saturday**

"Mmph."

Ginny fails to hide a smirk. "Sorry Harry, what was that?"

"My head hurts," says Harry into the table.

"I'm not surprised," says Ginny. "I could hardly get you home last night."

The table in question is, in Ginny's opinion, one of her better efforts. Though she is not officially living in the London flat, she felt the need to assist the furnishing endeavour, and searched through dozens of Muggle thrift shops until she found just the right one. It is friendly and round, large enough for most of her family to sit around without too much discomfort, and dominates the tiny living area. Despite the hours of labour required to bring out its rich, warm grain, it is now just a part of the furniture, privy to the highs and lows of those who talk across it.

"So how much did you drink?" asks Ginny.

"I lost count after the fifth Firewhiskey."

"Ouch." She gives his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze. "No wonder you were singing so well."

Harry looks up hopefully. "Was that a compliment?"

"No!" Ginny slaps his hand away from her backside. "It was an insult to your normal singing ability."

"Sorry," says Harry. "What was I singing?"

Ginny snorts. "Celestina Warbeck. It was rather entertaining."

"Wonderful."

Ginny heads towards the kitchen. "I'd watch out if I were you. Ron's probably still laughing at you."

Harry's groan is accompanied by the _thud_ of his head on the table. "Did I mention how much I hate Ron?"

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_Please don't forget to review and let me know what you think!_


	2. Library

_I'm amazed by the number of responses to this fic - I've never had this many people enjoy a story of mine this early on. Thanks so much to all of you!_

_Some thankies:_

_omegaw, chini, merdarkandtwisty and Twilight-HarryPotterlover1994 for reviewing. Thanks so much guys! As many more wonderful people than I have said, reviews are the only payment fanfiction writers receive. Keep 'em coming!_

_omegaw, musicforlife, Twilight-HarryPotterlover1994, ark the wanderer, PrincessofTwilight2010, xsamxHUFC, hoeoverbros, Charming Gilmore Girl, SunshineChocolate and Kiiandy Black for adding this story to their alerts._

_dphsgo and CaroleeElisabeth for favouriting this story._

_Onwards! We get to see Ron in this installment. Enjoy!_

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****2. Library  
****Sunday**

"So Harry, I really enjoyed your singing the other night…"

Harry scowls. "Shut up, Ron."

"No really," says Ron, lounging back in his chair. "Even George said it was the finest rendition of 'You Charmed the Heart Right Out of Me' that he's ever heard."

"See, Harry?" says Ginny. "I always said you were talented."

"Yeah, right," says Ron. "So anyway, Hermione wanted to know when you're having your housewarming."

"I've already had a housewarming," says a confused Harry. "I apparently sang at it."

"Oh, come on, Harry," says Ginny from the kitchen, rolling her eyes. "That doesn't count, it was at the pub."

"It was still a celebration for my new flat," says Harry, stung. "Where is Hermione, anyway?"

"Where do you think? At the Ministry library."

"On a Sunday?" Hermione's enthusiasm surprises even Ginny. "What on Earth for?"

"Some raving House-Elf case, probably. Any chance of some food, Gin?" Ron gives a wide-eyed, hungry look that would fool anyone but his sister into believing he hasn't enjoyed a substantial lunch at The Burrow a mere hour ago.

"Must you always think of your stomach?"

Despite her reprimand, Ginny is already bringing sandwiches to the table. She has grown up knowing the importance of food, with its unique ability to sustain both the body and the soul. Though Hermione might find solace in a library, the Weasleys' lives have always revolved around the kitchen table, with joy and grief alike finding their place amongst nourishment of a different kind.

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	3. Love

_Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who added this story to their alerts and favourites, and especially to omegaw for reviewing!_

_I know the last one was only kind of vaguely related to the prompt - I found it difficult to work "library" in so early in the story. I think this one is much better, yay!_

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**3. Love  
****Monday**

Harry loves mornings. Not because he's a morning person, or because he gets a kick out of morning breath. Harry loves mornings because of Ginny.

He likes her hair when it's messy, a fiery tangle cascading down her back. He likes it when she's wearing her ratty dressing gown, or better yet, one of his shirts. He even likes it when she's grumpy in the mornings, because for some reason her temper makes him love her even more.

This particular morning she is quiet. She is sitting across the table, nursing a cup of coffee, looking down at its murky surface as though she's not really seeing it.

"Here," says Harry. "I made you breakfast."

Ginny looks dubious. "Is it edible?"

"Hey, are you doubting my cooking? Because I do cook occasionally."

"Only when I'm not here."

"You don't let me when you're here!"

Ginny gives him a wry smile. "That's because you can't cook."

"I can cook eggs," says Harry coolly. "The Dursleys made me cook breakfast all the time."

Ginny catches the bitterness in his tone and sighs. "I'm sorry, Harry."

He grimaces at the table. "It's okay."

The silence stretches between them.

"You know," says Harry, "if you moved in, you could cook all the time."

She sighs again. "I can't, Harry, you know that. I need to do my own thing. And anyway, these are pretty good. I know you're not going to poison yourself poaching eggs."

He laughs. "Okay, Miss Weasley, you win this round."

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	4. Guilt

_Wow, thanks so much to everyone who's responded to this fic! Especially big thankyous to Twilight-HarryPotterlover1994, You Know Who, Lunaclaw14, merdarkandtwisty, hoeoverbros and Sinisister Ginny for the lovely reviews._

_Okay, chapter four, in which Mrs Weasley makes an appearance._

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****4. Guilt  
****Tuesday**

"Harry, dear!"

"Come in, Molly," says Harry, opening the door. Mrs Weasley smiles fondly at him.

"I brought some biscuits," she says, depositing them on the table. "I thought you could use some home cooking."

"Wow, thanks Molly." Harry wonders if she's been talking to Ginny. "I heard about Arthur's new position, it sounds fantastic."

"Doesn't it? Kingsley really relies on Arthur these days. There aren't too many with his experience anymore."

"Yeah, I know." Rebuilding the Ministry has been hard, with so many decent workers killed or disillusioned by the war. Nowadays, nearly everyone is as green as Harry.

"Oh, hi Mum!" Ginny appears from the bedroom.

Mrs Weasley seems taken aback. "Ginny. What are you doing here?"

"I usually come here after training and have dinner." Ginny keeps her voice casual. "Oh, wow, biscuits!"

Mrs Weasley looks suspicious, glancing from Ginny to Harry's bedroom. Harry hastily breaks in.

"You know, Ginny, you've had a hard day at training. Why don't we go and have dinner at your place? We could get takeaway."

"Nonsense," says Mrs Weasley briskly. "What you need is a nice home cooked meal. Here, I'll knock something up for you."

Ginny gives Harry a grateful smile while her mother busies herself in the kitchen. Somehow she always feels guilty when she sees her mother these days, no matter how many times she refuses to move in with Harry. Mrs Weasley's views on pre-marital cohabitation might be old-fashioned, but Ginny knows she could never defy them.

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_If anyone is confused, Mrs Weasley knows that Harry and Ginny are going out, but disapproves of them living together, which is one of the reasons that Ginny doesn't want to move in._

_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	5. Gnome

_Wow, lots of reviews today. I'm sorry I didn't get to reply to them all individually, but I can assure that I normally try hard to. I actually have my final Year 12 exam tomorrow afternoon (sweet freedom is coming!) so I've been studying all day. Anyway, thanks go to musicforlife, You Know Who, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, not-so-loony13 (who reviewed 4 TIMES!!), TheEmotionalSponge, merdarkandtwisty and werewolfatemyphoenix. A shoutout to werewolfatemypheonix for having the coolest penname ever!_

_Hokay. Teehee, I had lots of fun writing this chapter, Hermione is very easy to make fun of. Enjoy!_

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****5. Gnome  
****Wednesday**

"What on _earth_ am I going to do?"

Hermione is sitting at the table, wringing her hands.

"I'm sure it will be fine, Hermione," says Harry. "Here, have some tea."

She takes it without acknowledgement. "I'm sure no one's ever messed up so badly. I might as well just go back and start packing my things. My career is ruined!"

"It can't be that bad. I'm sure it's already been sorted out. If you just—"

"Absolutely ruined," continues Hermione. "It won't matter that I've worked for two and a half years without so much as a sick day, or that I've revolutionised the House-Elf regulations, or that Landers will be hopelessly stuck without me…"

"Hermione, I'm sure they'll consider—"

"I mean, my God," says Hermione. "What if I never get another job? What if they tell every employer in the country what I did? I'll have to get a job as a Muggle in a fish and chip shop! Oh, _God…_"

"_Hermione,_" says Harry firmly. "Shut up."

Hermione stops mid-tirade, mouth open. "Wh-what?"

"You need to _stop worrying about it_. Everyone will forget about it soon enough. Just drink your bloody tea and calm down, all right?"

Hermione nods, eyes wide with shock.

"Oi!" says Ron's head, which has just appeared in the fireplace. "What's going on? I heard Hermione set a gnome on the head of her department and it tore the place apart…"

"Oh, _no_!"wails Hermione.

Harry slumps back in his chair. "I give up!"

* * *

_Poor Harry. I laugh at Ron and his sensitivity._

_In case you are confused, Hermione works at the Department for the Regulation of Magical Creatures, and accidently set a gnome loose at the Ministry. Just when Harry has her calmed down, Ron comes in and gets her all upset again. Aren't they the greatest couple?? :)_

_Please don't forget to review!_


	6. Cow

_Sorry I didn't get to update yesterday guys, I was out enjoying my newfound freedom. I have officially finished high school! *Does excited dance*_

_Shoutouts to xxxBekaForEvaxxx, musicforlife, not-so-loony13, merdarkandtwisty, SilverSkyPrincess, TheEmotionalSponge (who wins Penname-of-the-Day), You Know Who, hoeoverbros, werewolfatemyphoenix and MyNameInsertedHere for reviewing. That's right, if you leave me a review, you'll get your very own shoutout!_

_Someone asked a couple of chapters ago, what's so old-fashioned about not living together before marriage? I take your point, however I was trying to get into the heads of the characters, and I can see Harry having no issues about living together. After surviving the war, he knows that he and Ginny are meant for each other and will spend the rest of their lives together. I actually got the idea for Molly to be against them living together from LizBee's "The Revenge of Lord Vodkamort" (which is freaking hilarious and everyone should read it): Ginny has "old fashioned ideas about premarital cohabitation, not to mention a healthy fear of her mother's wrath"._

_Anyway, and now for something completely different - a little bit of angst today. Enjoy!_

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**6. Cow  
Thursday**

Harry knows something is wrong the moment she opens the door.

"Ginny, what's the matter?"

"Nothing," she says, pushing past him. "I need to have a shower."

"Why didn't you have one after training?"

Wrong question. "I just didn't, okay? Merlin, Harry, stop interrogating me!"

The bathroom door shuts behind her. Harry sighs. He knows it is safer to let her calm down, but the look in her eyes is haunting him.

Should he? Shouldn't he?

He knocks softly. "Ginny?" Nothing.

She's sitting against the tiled wall, swiping angrily at her tears. "Go away."

Harry ignores her.

"Was it her again?"

Ginny looks away. "Stupid bloody cow," she says viciously. "I wish she'd go and die in a bloody hole."

Rosaria Bradley, Ginny's fellow Chaser. Reasonably talented with a jealous streak a mile wide.

"Have you talked to Jones about it?"

She shakes her head. Gwenog Jones might be the most ferocious captain in the league, but she takes no interest in her players' petty squabbles.

"I know it's hard," says Harry with sympathy, "but you just can't let it get to you."

"How?" says Ginny, tears streaming. "How can I when she's always going on about you? About how you're just a famous face and no one really respects you, and you're probably shagging the secretary in your lunchbreaks and you should leave the hard work to the normal people?"

Harry is amazed, not by Rosaria's abuse of him, but by how much Ginny has been hurt by it.

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	7. Roses

__

I'm alive! I'm so sorry this has taken so long guys, so I hope you've stuck with me. After I finished school, I spent ten days in Cairns (which was absolutely gorgeous) with seven of my closest friends, and then spent a lot of time being very lazy and watching WAY too much Scrubs. When I eventually got back around to this fic, I had a lot of trouble getting back into it. I finally have a couple more instalments finished, though, so I felt safe returning to these hallowed halls.

_A couple of clarifications:  
Some people thought Ginny getting so upset was out of character (you might need to go back to the last chapter to refresh your memory!). I can definitely see where you're coming from here guys; Ginny is definitely not thin-skinned. I guess what I'm trying to get across here is that Harry is Ginny's one weakness - she's suffered a lot for him, and to hear someone constantly talking crap about him is, from her perspective, MUCH worse than if they were talking about her. I have no doubt that she defends him at the time, but Rosaria is starting to wear her down - which is, of course, what Rosaria wants. As for the "leave the work to the normal people" bit, Harry is making a name for himself as an Auror, and Rosaria is basically jealous of his success - in her mind, it's not fair, and she's taking it out on Ginny._

_Also, someone *cough*Em*cough* was confused about the whole table thing. I don't mention the table in every chapter, but I imagine every chapter to be taking place in the combined kitchen/dining room/sitting room in Harry's flat, and so the table kind of "hears" everything that happens. I have of course managed to break my own rule with last chapter's scene in the bathroom, but meh. Say the door was still open._

_Finally, just in case anyone is interested, I got Rosaria's name from the HP Lexicon - there was a Ravenclaw player with the last name Bradley in OotP. I imagine Rosaria to be this player, or maybe their sister... anyway, I didn't completely make her up._

_Shoutouts: ark the wanderer, omegaw, glowyrm, merdarkandtwisty, You Know Who, xXMizLilyEvansXx, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, hoeoverbros, werewolfatemyphoenix, Lunaclaw14, SmileyRi and Emenemenemma! You guys rock!_

_Disclaimer: Whoops, I realised I haven't done one of these yet. This stuff obviously isn't mine, guys - the characters (except for Rosaria) and inspiration are purely JKR's, and the prompts are from the wonderful people at HPFC._

_Okay, onward!_

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**7. Roses  
****Friday**

"Hi, Ginny."

Hermione looks, as usual, like she's channelling McGonagall – severe bun, sensible robes and a permanent crease between her eyebrows.

"Harry's not here," says Ginny at once.

"I know, he's out with Ron. I came to show you these." Hermione reveals a bunch of red roses, tied with a ribbon that undulates of its own accord. Ginny smirks.

"Wow, Hermione, you shouldn't have."

Hermione ignores her. "They're from Ron. He's trying to make up for forgetting our lunch yesterday."

Ginny is impressed. "My idiot brother has a romantic side?"

"That's just it," says Hermione. "He doesn't, not really. He just thinks that flowers are the quickest way to get me to shag him again."

Ginny cringes. "I really don't want the image of Ron and sex in my head."

"Sorry," says Hermione. "But seriously, I wish Ron were like Harry. I'll bet he gets you roses all the time."

"He used to," says Ginny. "After the war. He's not quite so romantic anymore."

"Well, if Harry's not romantic anymore, what hope do I have?" asks Hermione despairingly.

"At least Ron's making an effort when you're upset."

"Do you want to know what I wish, though?" says Hermione. "I wish he'd bring me roses for no reason. Just once."

Ginny ponders this as Hermione leaves. Once upon a time, after last night, Harry would have taken her to a fancy restaurant and showered her with compliments to make her feel better. Now, she doesn't even warrant a bunch of roses.

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_Don't forget to leave a review!_


	8. Puzzle

_Wow, another update? What is the world coming to?_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter; we get a glimpse of some of the other characters and how they're coping._

_I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up, seeing as I haven't actually written it yet... the prompt is "Cigarettes" and I'm really having trouble fitting it in! If anyone has suggestions, feel free to make them._

_I've also come to the very sad realisation that I can't individually reply to all the reviews I get, as much as I'd like to. I've just started my new full-time job this week (reception for public service, whoopee) so my leisure time is suddenly limited. Rest assured, though, that I read and appreciate every single one of your reviews, and if you have any questions or anything, I'll answer them in the next chapter (at least, as much as I can without giving the plot away)._

_A couple of people said that they couldn't imagine Harry as less than perfect. I'm not going to say too much about this, but I will say that Ginny is struggling with this too!_

_Finally, a very happy new year to all of you. It's currently 1:30 p.m. on 01/01/10 here in Australia (wow, that looks really cool) but I know it's not quite 2010 yet for some of my readers. (I feel like I'm speaking to you from the future!) Anyway, don't party too hard, because I still expect you to review! :)_

_Shoutouts: Delia-of-the-Oysters (who wins Pen-Name of the Week), Miss Weasely, Lunaclaw14, mailen1194, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, werewolfatemyphoenix and laura-csm. You guys are awesome! Thanks for helping me reach 50 reviews!_

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****8. Puzzle  
Saturday**

Ginny, Ron and Hermione arrive late on Saturday morning to find Harry still nursing his eggs and toast. Ginny has dark circles under her eyes; the sounds escaping Hermione's room through Ron's imperfect Silencing Charm made it difficult to sleep.

"Did I tell you I saw George yesterday?" says Harry.

Ginny's ears prick up at this. "No. How was he?"

"I only saw him from a distance, but he seemed good. Perky."

"_Perky?_" For nearly four years, George's moods have ranged from "a bit down" to "clinically depressed". "Perky" is not a word anyone has used to describe him since the death of his twin.

Harry nods. "He was even smiling. Which, now you mention it, is a bit odd…"

"Maybe he's got a girlfriend?" says Ginny, somewhat hopefully.

Ron snorts. "Yeah, a different one every night. Why do you think I spend so much time at your place, Gin?"

"Actually," says Harry, "he was with a girl. They were holding hands and everything."

"Who?"

"Angelina."

"_Jolie?_" Hermione blurts out.

"What? No, of course not. Angelina Johnson."

"Who's Angelina Jolie?" asks Ron with interest.

"Nobody," says Hermione, blushing. "Really? Angelina Johnson?"

"But didn't she…" begins Ginny.

"Used to go out with Fred?" finishes Harry. "That's what I thought, too."

"That is too weird," says Ron. "Why would she want to go out with George? Sounds really depressing."

"I think it's about time George found someone to talk to about Fred," says Hermione firmly. "Maybe he'll finally start pulling himself together."

_

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_

_So, just in case it's not clear (which it probably isn't), you can have some of my notes:_

_-Ron has moved in with George in Diagon Alley and pays a reduced rent in return for helping George in the jokeshop after hours. He actually spends most nights at Ginny and Hermione's flat._

_-George (at least up to this point) tends to have a steady stream of girlfriends staying over at his flat, which Ron tends to try and avoid._

_-Ginny and Hermione live together, also in London. _

_-This system works quite well, as Mrs Weasley (who disapproves of pre-marital cohabitation) is appeased, George gets support from Ron, and Harry doesn't need rent (he'd let Ginny move in for nothing). _

_-Ginny might not spend so much time at Harry's, except living in the same house and Ron and Hermione is frankly disturbing. Ginny has already been scarred for life. _

_Yep, I actually work off these notes. I know I'm crazy ;)_


	9. Cigarettes

_Sorry that took a few days, guys. I'm not completely happy with the chapter, but I found the prompt really difficult. Anyway, I think it turned out reasonably well. We've got another glimpse at George. Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!_

_Some thankies: Firstly to kat, who has broken the record for most reviews in one go - five! Thanks gorgeous! We also have completelysmitten18, who reviewed three times, as well as Musafreen, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, futurejkrowling-x (thanks for the enthusiastic feedback!), Delia-of-the-Oysters, laura-csm, AverageJay and werewolfatemyphoenix. You guys are all amazing!_

_Disclaimer: I know I forget this most of the time, but seriously, if I owned these characters, would I be wasting my time writing fanfiction??_

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**9. Cigarettes  
Sunday**

The face in the doorway is freckled and familiar. "George!" says Ginny, flying up from the table to hug her brother. "What are you doing here?"

"I knew Ron and Harry were at the Ministry again, so I thought I'd come by and keep you company," he says. "How're you going, Gin?"

"Not bad," she says. "Just a bit tired. How're you?"

"Great," he enthuses. "Business is booming. I've had to hire two more workers, and I've hardly got time for development. I do have one new product though…"

He pulls a small paper cylinder out of his pocket.

"What is it?" asks Ginny, looking dubious.

"It's like a—what do you call it—a cigarette. You know, Muggles smoke them. Except you don't have to light ours, you just activate them with your wand and the smoke comes out. You can do all sorts of things, look—"

George taps the cigarette with his wand and thick white smoke appears from the end. He puts it to his lips and inhales, before blowing a huge heart-shaped smoke ring.

Ginny still looks cautious. "But… I've seen Muggles with cigarettes on the street! Harry says they're really bad for you! They can make you sick—"

"Hey, just relax, Gin," says George. "Do you really think I'd sell something dangerous? There's nothing in it that can make you sick, trust me. I even had Angie check it out. She's a Healer, you know."

Ginny looks up at him cheekily. "Angie, huh?"

* * *

_So I kind of feel like we're seeing a new, happy George who hasn't really been around much since Fred died. He kept the shop going all this time, though he relied a lot on Ron to do it, especially at first. (If anyone has read Interlude by SilvverPhoenix, that's probably where I got it from.) He lost his spark and his enthusiasm for a long time, but thanks to "Angie" he's starting to get it back again. (Yay!)_

_I hope these notes make sense, and you find them helpful. With such short chapters, I'm finding it difficult to explain everything so that it makes sense... that's why I give you some backstory if I think I need to._

_I have the next couple of chapters written already, so I promise they'll be up very soon! Don't forget to review!_


	10. Sex

_Here I am again; I told you I'd be faster this time. This chapter was an interesting one to write - it's my first one with no dialogue (I think... *scratches head* I can't remember). My word limit seemed to come awfully fast, because there are much fewer paragraphs. _

_By the way, if you think this prompt is awkward, you should see the next one! (Mwahaha, I am keeping you in suspense.)_

_Okay, time for today's shoutouts: Delia-of-the-Oysters (who reviewed about two minutes after I updated--you made my night), xxxBekaForEvaxxx, glowyrm, werewolfatemyphoenix and You Know Who. Not so many this time, but I really appreciate all of you who take the time review!_

_Nearly everyone said that they liked seeing George happy. I do too :)_

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****10. Sex  
Monday  
**

They say men think about sex every seven seconds. If Harry had heard this assertion, he would probably disagree; indeed, thoughts about his work occupy a high proportion of his mind. He cannot deny, though, that at the moment he returns home late from two long and crisis-filled days at the Ministry, sex is certainly on his mind.

The flat is cold and dark. Ginny has evidently decided to keep Hermione company as Harry and Ron work overtime. Harry flicks his wand at a lamp to illuminate the room, but its feeble light does not penetrate far.

A feeling of frustration creeps up within him. All day, Harry has been looking forward to coming home and seeing Ginny. They would have kissed at the door, just like the other times Harry has come home late, and despite the food she'd have prepared they would have got caught up in the moment, and stumbled into the bedroom to make love in the dark. Even sitting here in the semi-darkness is bringing back memories of late-night intimacy.

Harry sighs. He knows it is typical of him to crave Ginny most when they haven't been together for a while.

It's not just the sex itself, though. Making love with Ginny is not something Harry merely does. It is something he feels and experiences—a shared moment of love that transcends the physical. In these moments, Harry feels secure in the knowledge that he and Ginny will have the rest of their lives together.

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_I'm pretty sure the theory about men thinking about sex every seven seconds is false, but it fitted well so I decided to put it in anyway._

_Don't forget to leave a review!_


	11. Tampon

_Well, I told you this prompt was awkward. When I first saw it I was like, "Are you for serious *unintelligible swearing* wtf????" Anyway, I hope you like it, and no one runs away screaming or anything. _

_Shout-outs: Annelili (welcome!), You Know Who, Delia-of-the-Oysters and glowyrm. _

_Disclaimer: The characters and even the general plot aren't really mine (JKR ftw!). The prompts also aren't mine, thank goodness._

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11. Tampon  
****Tuesday**

Hermione and Ginny are indulging in a glass of Madam Rosmerta's finest mead, as their menfolk spend yet more time at work. Despite the fact that the end was the war was almost four years ago, the understaffed Auror Office is still struggling to rebuild itself.

Hermione reaches into her cavernous handbag and dislodges something small and white. "What's that?" asks Ginny, peering at the object, which is wrapped in plastic. To her surprise, Hermione blushes a deep red.

"It's nothing," she says. "Just a Muggle thing."

Unfortunately for Hermione, Ginny has inherited her father's curiosity for Muggle things. "Come on, tell me! What is it?"

Hermione sighs. "You know how witches use a charm for when they… you know…"

Ginny stares blankly.

"For their… cycle."

"Oh!" says Ginny, eyes widening. "You mean… that's what Muggles use?" She looks more closely at it. "But how does it work?"

Hermione looks even more uncomfortable as she explains. Ginny's fascination is deeply unnerving.

*

Ginny considers the odd little object as she waits, yet again, for Harry to come home. While a charm or a tampon might make it easier to deal with, any natural cycle is still going to occur, whether you like it or not. Likewise, this endless cycle of waiting and frustration between Harry and Ginny has no magical fixes. No matter how many nights Ginny spends alone, trying to plug the holes in her relationship, the problems are still there in the morning. The cracks are starting to show.

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_Dont' forget to leave a review!_


	12. Child

_Oh man, I wrote this chapter AGES ago. It was originally going to be "Guilt" back in chapter four or whatever it was, but I decided it was too early in the story for this so I changed it._

_Shoutouts: glowyrm (you hit the nail on the head, my friend!), Delia-of-the-Oysters, You know who and xxBekaForEvaxxx (I'm sorry, if the problems got sorted out, I wouldn't have anything to write for the 38 prompts still left to go!)_

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**12. Child  
****Wednesday**

"Hi, Mrs. Weasley," says Harry. "I was just on my way out. Ron's having an emergency with the plumbing and Hermione's stuck at work. Ginny's here, though. Hey, Ginny!"

Ginny sticks her head out from the bathroom, clad in a thick white towel and rubbing her hair dry. "Yes?"

"Your mum's here," says Harry. "I'm going to Ron's to fix his toilet. I love you." He plants a kiss on her mouth and smiles, before striding out of the flat.

Ginny glances hesitantly at her mother. Mrs Weasley is frozen with shock. "Mum…?"

Wrong move. "Ginevra Weasley! Have you lost your mind? I thought you had a sense of dignity, of decorum—"

"Mum," says Ginny, wincing. "It's not what you think."

"Not what I think? I don't know what to think! My daughter living, unmarried, with a man—"

"It's _Harry,_ Mum! You know, the seventh son you never had? And I'm not _living_ here, I'm just—"

"Just what? Go on, just what?"

Ginny raises her voice. "I'm twenty years old, Mum! I can sleep with whomever I choose, and I don't need your permission to do so! D'you go and screech at the boys when they have sex? I mean, Ron practically lives at my place, with Hermione! Why don't you go and yell at them about decorum?"

Her mother's mouth is hanging open at this pronouncement.

"I'm not a child, Mum! Harry and I love each other, why do you have such a problem with that?"

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	13. Memories

_Wow, another update. I'm on a roll._

_Not a fun episode tonight, I'm afraid. I hope you like it anyway._

_Shoutouts: xxxBekaForEvaxxx, glowyrm, Delia-of-the-Oysters, You Know Who, lillyflower08. Thanks guys, you rock! I'm glad you all enjoyed the chapter. As for the nasty mental image regarding Ron and his plumbing problem... I apologise :)_

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**13. Memories  
****Thursday**

Ginny wakes with a start. She takes a few seconds to orient herself; the room seems too light for the hour.

She realises the door is open, and a light from the kitchen is casting odd shadows on the walls. She pulls on a dressing gown and pads out to the kitchen table in her bed socks, where Harry is sitting and staring at the dark wood grain.

"Harry?"

He doesn't look up. Ginny continues into the kitchen and sets some milk on the stove.

"Here," she says a few minutes later. "Have some hot chocolate."

Harry looks as though he's only just noticed her.

"Harry…" Ginny has seen this look before. "Are you still having nightmares?"

"Dammit, Ginny," Harry bursts out. "I don't think I can handle this anymore. I thought I was over this!"

She sits down and cradles his head to her chest, stroking his hair with gentle fingers. "What happened this time?" she asks softly.

"The usual," he grimaces. "The final battle. Watching people die. Walking to the Forest. Except, I can never get there. I just keep walking through the trees, knowing that I'm too late, that I can't even help anyone." His voice cracks.

They sit there for a long time, Ginny caressing his face as her tears caress his hair. The ghosts of the memories and the faces of the dead, the suffocating futility, remain behind his eyes, the same way they have haunted his thoughts and his dreams for four long years.

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	14. Smile

_Here we go with another chapter. I'm feeling really good about this story at the moment, I even have three chapters written in advance! It's very exciting._

_To all you Aussies out there (and all of you who wish you were Aussie, heheh), a very happy Australia Day to you! This is of course why I am updating in the morning (no wait, it's afternoon now... I've been having a lazy day) rather than my usual late evening. Gotta love public holidays._

_Shoutouts: You Know Who, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, chemicalbullet (welcome!), completelysmitten18, glowyrm and Delia-of-the-Oysters. I love you all!_

_Despite the cheery-sounding prompt, we're continuing the trauma theme today, I'm afraid. Harry's not the only one having nightmares..._

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****14. Smile  
Friday**

"Are you okay, Harry? You look ill."

Harry and Ron are having a quiet drink after a difficult week in the Auror Office. Harry is pale, with dark circles under his eyes.

"I'm fine," he says. "I just haven't been sleeping well."

Ron knows what this means.

"Hermione had a nightmare last night," he says darkly. "She always does at this time of year. It was the anniversary of that night at Malfoy's place. She woke up crying."

Harry merely nods. He too has relived that night in his dreams, too many times to count.

"Maybe you should get a sleeping potion?" Ron suggests. "After all, you need to be alert at work next week."

"Yeah, you're right," says Harry. "I'd get killed if I fell asleep at work."

"I'll say. Forget Dark Wizards, I think Robards would kill you himself if you fell asleep during the morning meeting."

Harry chuckles.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how you can still laugh," says Ron quietly. "After everything you've lost. It's taken George four years to even smile more than once a fortnight."

Harry considers this. "Actually," he says, "there are times when I think that too. But there are other times when I can't help but smile. Like the other week, when I saw Teddy. Maybe he's not aware yet of what he's lost, but whenever I see him, he's happy, and it makes me realise that we're all going to be okay. If he can survive it, we all can."

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_I think that was my first mention of Teddy... I kind of forgot about him. Oh well, it won't be the last time we hear about him, I promise. Also, if anyone is interested, Gawain Robards was the name of some random Auror who I decided is Ron and Harry's boss. I then looked up the HP Lexicon and discovered that he was actually the Head Auror after Scrimgeour. Who's a legend? :)_

_Don't forget to review!_


	15. Mittens

_Sorry guys, I've been trying to upload this chapter for a few days now but the site decided it didn't like me. I really like this chapter and have been looking forward to your reviews, and I've been kept in suspense! Anyway, here it (finally) is._

_Shoutouts: Firstly, a special mention to Emenemenemma (who happens to be one of my best friends, but we won't hold that against her) for reviewing EIGHT times, and in the process tipping me over 100 reviews. You're a legend, my dear! (I've been listening to Mumford and Sons, can you tell?) Secondly to kat (also one of my best friends), who beat her own record and reviewed six times, only to be outdone by Em. Don't worry, kat, I still love you! Thanks also to Delia-of-the-Oysters, MissLisaBennett, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, chemicalbullet, glowyrm, You Know Who and NotSoPerfectWizard (I promise I will get around to reading your story!). Thank you all!_

_Someone asked if I can make the chapters longer. The thing is, this was originally no more than a writing exercise, so the whole point is I try to fit episodes of their lives into exactly 250 words. So no, I can't really make them longer. Sorry!_

_Someone else said there were a few spelling mistakes, which surprised me, because I do try really hard to get rid of all the mistakes (Em and Kat will tell you I'm a stickler for that stuff!). Feel free to point them out to me guys. I'm wondering if you just thought they were mistakes, because I'm Aussie and I spell things differently to Americans? Anyway._

_Onward!_

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**15. Mittens  
****Saturday**

Ginny hears them long before they arrive at the door. "Victoire!" comes the exasperated voice of her brother. "You have to keep your mittens on, love, it's cold out here."

Ginny can just imagine her niece's excitement. She would of course insist on walking herself to the door, tottering up the steps and refusing any help from her father. Finally they knock on the door.

"Hey, Gin," says Bill as she smothers Victoire's rosy cheeks with kisses. "How are you?"

"Not too bad," says Ginny. "You'd better come in, it's chilly. Isn't it, sweetheart?"

The inquisitive child flashes her aunt with a toothy smile before toddling off into the living room.

"Did you hear about Audrey and Percy?" asks Bill.

"How could I not hear? Mum's practically shouting it from the rooftops." Only months after their wedding, Percy and his wife are expecting their first child.

"I don't think Percy's quite come to terms with it," says Bill with a grin. "He's not used to things not going to plan. I did warn him though, Weasley men are extremely virile—"

"Oh, shut up," says Ginny.

Victoire wanders over to her aunt. "Baby?"

"That's right, Uncle Percy's having a baby," says Ginny.

"Maman have baby," says Victoire proudly, looking to her father.

"No, Percy's having…" Ginny trails off. "Bill?"

He has the grace to look embarrassed. "We wanted to wait and tell everyone together."

"Oh my goodness!" She jumps up to congratulate her brother, and the child squeals with delight.

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_Don't forget to leave a review!_


	16. Church

_Here we are with Chapter 16. I had trouble getting started with this chapter, since the prompt was so un-Harry Potter. I think I managed okay though._

_Shoutouts: lillyflower08, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, Emenemenemma, evilrobinbird, glowyrm, CandyFlossRules, Melora, BrittishMenHaveHotAccents, You Know Who, Delia-of-the-Oysters and MissLisaBennett. A special welcome to all my new readers!_

_Someone asked awhile ago if I could keep doing the penname of the week thing. I was kind of only doing it when I really liked someone's penname, not as a regular thing. However, I think this week's award should go to BrittishMenHaveHotAccents (with which I totally agree), even if they did spell "British" wrong ;)_

_Anywho, onward!_

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**16. Church  
****Sunday**

There is a faint pop outside the door, and a second later Harry and Ginny enter, looking weary.

"I'm glad you waited for me," says Ginny quietly, laying her unobtrusive Muggle coat on the table. "I would have hated for you to go alone."

Harry just nods, stripping off his gloves.

"We're always so solemn when we go there," she continues. "I forget how pretty it is."

Harry says nothing.

"We should go when it's not so cold one day," she says. "We never go in summer. Your mum's birthday's in January and your dad's is in March, and of course Hallowe'en… We should have a day where we don't have to be sad."

Harry can't imagine going to Godric's Hollow without being sad, but he concedes that it would be nice. It was once, after all, his home, and going only to mourn is starting to give the place a horrible stigma in his mind.

"Just make sure it's not a Sunday," he says eventually. "Everyone in the church was staring at us. It was kind of weird."

"We were sort of interrupting the service," says Ginny. "But we'll go on another day next time. We shouldn't draw too much attention to ourselves."

Harry hadn't thought of it that way. He'd only thought of the inconvenience to him, the awkwardness the church-goers had caused them in their dutiful visit to the graveyard. He finds it difficult to remember, sometimes, that the little church has significance to the faithful too.

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	17. Pig

_Holy crap, it's been a long time since I updated this fic. At least, compared to the other waits between chapters. I'm really sorry about that - I got really stuck on chapter 18, kind of forgot about this chapter, and then a little thing called Real Life took over my time. But anyway, I finally got chapter 18 on paper (even though I'm not entirely happy with it, it will have to do, cos I really want to move on!) so we can get on with the show, and I'll try really hard not to let it go so long again. Look out for chapter 18 in a couple of days.  
_

_Shoutouts: glowyrm, Delia-of-the-Oysters and MissLisaBennett. Thanks guys!  
_

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**17. Pig  
Monday**

It is the first of April. In another universe, the flat might have been filled with the sound of laughter, as some prank or another was pulled on its unsuspecting inhabitants. Instead, it is empty except for a little, fluffy owl, and a crumpled note on the table.

_Ginny,_

_I hope you're okay. This was never going to be an easy day to get through. Don't forget that it's all right to be sad. I know everyone says that he would have wanted us to be happy, but I reckon he would understand._

_George isn't doing too well. He'd already hit the Firewhiskey by the time I got up this morning. I really thought he might have been better this year, what with Angelina being around and all, but he's definitely not. He won't even talk to any of us. Poor Angelina left in tears._

_I reckon we need to get him out of here and take him to the Burrow. Maybe Mum's cooking will make him feel better. I know I could use some right now. Anyway, I doubt the Firewhiskey's helping much. It's like he's trying to drown himself in it._

_I think it would be good if you came over. I'm not sure whether it will make a difference, but I know he likes talking to you. He might listen. Don't worry if you're not up to it. I'm trying to get hold of Charlie, too. He was always better at getting George moving than me._

_Ron_

_

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Whoops, this whole italics thing as a way to differentiate between the chapter and the ANs doesn't really work when the whole chapter is in italics... ah well. Review!  
_


	18. Secret Meeting

_Here we go with the next chapter. Not much to say with this one. I had a lot of trouble with it and I'm not exactly happy with it but I think I just needed to get it over with and move past it! This chapter is, however, noteable for being the first one with more than one word in the title (remember, I didn't make them up, they're prompts)._

_Shoutouts: remuslover101, Delia-of-the-Oysters, You Know Who, NotSoPerfectWizard, ForbiddenLove7, glowyrm and MidnightIsCalling. Thanks guys!_

_By the way, the last chapter makes more sense if you know that the first of April (ie April Fool's Day) is also the twins' birthday. I forget that people who aren't total HP nerds like me don't know things like that, heheh._

_Onward!_

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****18. Secret Meeting  
Tuesday  
**

"Harry?"

He looks up from the document he is reading at the table. "Hermione!" he says, rising to kiss her on the cheek. "It's great to see you."

Hermione is agitated and keeps wringing her hands. "Harry, if I tell you something, you've got to promise not to tell anyone."

"I—of course I won't," he says.

"Especially Ginny," she persists.

"Why not?"

"Harry, just promise me!" She seems truly upset about something. Her hair is even more unruly than usual, a physical manifestation of her anxiety.

"Hermione, what is this about?"

She still looks torn. "It's just… Harry, I'm worried about Ginny."

"What for? Because of yesterday?"

"Not just yesterday," Hermione insists. "Something's been wrong for weeks. She was spending much more time at our place, locked up in her room, and she always seems to be worried about something, not to mention that whole Rosaria Bradley business at the Harpies—"

"_Hermione_," says Harry, disrupting her tirade mid-flow. "Ginny's fine. You don't need to worry about her."

"But—"

"Yesterday was always going to be hard, but Ginny's tough. She's handled worse than that without needing our help."

"This isn't just _about _yesterday, Harry," says Hermione.

"I know she was acting a little strangely before," says Harry, "but it's all back to normal now. Seriously. Everything's fine."

Hermione is not convinced, but she has finally learned when to back off. There can be no reasoning with Harry when he gets defensive or, even worse, when he's in denial.

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_Don't forget to review!_


	19. Black Eyes

_Here we go again... I've managed to get myself a buffer of about three chapters done now so updates should be more frequent. I kind of like this chapter, but I'm sorry to say that if you were worried about Ginny before, this certainly isn't going to help..._

_Shoutouts: Wow, lots of reviews this time. You Know Who, 5redroses, glowyrm, Delia-of-the-Oysters, untitled1494, MissLisaBennett, hoeoverbros, lillyflower08, ForbiddenLove7. Thanks guys!_

_Someone said they found the last chapter confusing - sorry about that. I think that's part of the reason Hermione is so worried, though; she doesn't know exactly what is wrong with Ginny. _

_Also, if you're interested and you haven't seen it yet, I've (shock horror) published another story. It's another challenge but it's a one-shot called "A Magical Number" - go check it out and review! :)  
_

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19. Black Eyes  
Wednesday**

"My God, Ginny, what happened to your face?" says Harry, at the same time Ginny says "Bloody hell, what happened to your eye?"

"You go first," says Ginny. Harry moves to let her inside.

"It was stupid," he says, grimacing. "I got hit with a Clouting Hex."

"You were duelling?"

Harry nods. "Not in the field, mind you. It was just training."

Ginny looks somewhat relieved. "So who hit you?"

"Ron. Don't look so impressed, he was aiming for Watkins."

She snorts. "That is _so _like Ron."

"Yeah, he gets a little overexcited." It is Harry's turn to peer at her face. "So what happened to you?"

"Oh, I just got into a—_disagreement_—with Bradley," Ginny says, her voice a little too casual. "It was nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing," says Harry. "Did she actually punch you?"

"Yeah… but I broke her nose."

"You could get kicked off the team!" says Harry, appalled, and with a nasty sense of déjà vu.

"Harry, no one's going to kick me off the team for giving her what she deserves. Besides, no one even saw it."

"I'm not saying she doesn't deserve it," says Harry, "but Gin, you've got to be careful. Whatever she said isn't worth losing your career for. Trust me, I know."

"Oh come on, you didn't lose your career, you missed two matches at Hogwarts. It's hardly the same thing."

Harry is lost for words. Ginny is many things, but she's not usually reckless. Not like this.

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_Yeah, so if it isn't obvious, they both have black eyes. Sometimes, because of my self-imposed word limit, I don't get a chance to properly explain what is going on... but hey, that's what the Author's Note is for, right?_

_Anyway, please review!  
_


	20. Night Wind

_Hello hello! Time for another instalment. I don't really have a lot to say. I know everyone is worried about Ginny... I wonder what you'll think once you've read this one._

_Thankyous: ForbiddenLove7, You Know Who, ihearthp96, MissLisaBennett, Delia-of-the-Oysters, SilverLily1, MidnightIsCalling. Thanks a million guys!_

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****20. Night Wind  
Thursday**

It is one of those nights where the wind is relentless. Even from inside, Ginny can hear the rustle of leaves and the constant _whoosh_ing of the wind. It is one of those nights when Ginny just can't fall asleep.

She's sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea in one hand, and tracing the grain of the table with the other, trying not to think about the incident at training.

She hadn't meant to break Rosaria's nose. The stupid cow had been following her, bitching about Harry and the Ministry and Merlin knows what else, and Ginny had just snapped. Somehow lashing out physically had made up for all the times that verbal arguments had failed. No one had been there to see it, and now Ginny feels as though she has one up on Rosaria at last. Maybe it doesn't justify that one moment of thoughtlessness, but it sure made Ginny feel better.

And anyway, Rosaria had been just as quick to return the favour. Surely that means Ginny hadn't acted foolishly? The black eye may only have lasted as long as it took Ginny to get her hands on some bruise balm, but it had still hurt like hell.

Ginny sighs. Deep down, she knows that the situation is spiralling out of control. Deep down, she understands why Harry is so concerned. Still, as much as she's been physically bruised, her pride feels like it's finally gotten over the beating Rosaria's been giving it for months.

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_Whoa, chapters with no dialogue seem SO much shorter than normal, even though they have exactly the same word count._

_I promise we have some action next chapter. Reviews make me update faster! :)_


	21. Owl

_Sorry, don't have a lot of time to chat. I'll add the shoutouts tomorrow. I'll just say that this chapter is for Annelili, who reviewed so quickly after I uploaded last night (and asked so nicely) that I just had to update._

_Edit:  
Shoutouts (sorry a bit later than I said) to Annelili, NotSoPerfectWizard, You Know Who, remuslover101, hoeoverbros, lillyflower08, ForbiddenLove7, Flamingo917, MissLisaBennett, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, glowyrm and Jellybenz94. Thanks guys!_

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**21. Owl**  
**Friday**

How strange that one small event can change everything.

One bird flies in, carrying one short letter, and as soon as you read those words, life is not the same.

In that moment, the things you thought were important become trivial. Whatever was occupying your mind, whether it be a hard day at work or a fight with a teammate, is now the last thing you want to think about. The only thing left in your mind is the need to go and help. NOW.

*

How strange that one event can stir such feelings in you.

As Harry had read those words—_Teddy—missing—please help—_he'd been overwhelmed with more emotion than he'd felt in a long time. It had been more than just worry; it was a full-blown panic rooted deeply in a kind of love he'd never experienced. _Parental _love. It had been as if his own child was in danger.

Now that the danger has passed, and Teddy has been found, Harry reflects on his relationship with the little boy. He has always felt responsibility and concern for him, has always tried to include him and Andromeda in Weasley family gatherings, and has tried to be what Sirius was never able to be—a presence in his godson's life.

Now, though, with these strange feelings surging within him, Harry knows that Teddy means as much to him as Ron, Hermione and even Ginny. He wants to know him. He wants to protect him.

He loves him.

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_Wow, didn't realise I'd done two dialogue-free chapters in a row. _

_Please review!_


	22. Hate

_Here we are again... I'm staying at a friends house at the moment while her family is away, so I may not get a lot of opportunities to update. I'll try my hardest though!_

_If you missed getting your shoutout last chapter and really want it, I've added them now :)_

_Shoutouts for this chapter: SilverLily1, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, NotSoPerfectWizard, ForbiddenLove7, glowyrm, MayMarieK, You Know Who, hoeoverbros, MissLisaBennett, Delia-of-the-Oysters, Jellybenz94 and psi567. You guys are awesome!_

_Lots of people liked the hint of Teddy we got last chapter... I think you'll like this one better!_

_To psi567 - I'm not quite sure if you were with me or against me in your comment, but I'll just say either way (to everyone) that any opinions Ginny expresses are purely her own. I don't mean to offend anyone's sensibilities._

_Okay, onward!_**

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****22. Hate  
Saturday**

"Harry?" comes a sleepy voice from within a pile of blankets. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, little mate," says Harry. "I'm still here."

"'Kay," says Teddy Lupin.

After yesterday's anxiety, Andromeda has taken Harry up on his offer to take Teddy for the afternoon. Tired from a busy day, they're holed up under the table in a fort filled with every blanket Harry owns.

"Harry?" says Teddy, emerging from his cocoon. "Why was everyone looking for me yesterday?"

"Because we didn't know where you were," says Harry. "Your Nan was worried you might have been hurt."

"But I wasn't hurt," says Teddy, mystified. "Nan was too tired to play with me, so I went to play by myself."

Harry struggles to keep his emotions in check. It is that old familiar hatred of those who forced Teddy to grow up without his parents, leaving him with a tired and grieving grandmother who, as much as she loves him, has difficulty keeping up with his needs.

"Harry? Are you still there?" asks Teddy from under the blankets again.

"Yeah, little mate," Harry manages, voice cracking. He hates that Teddy will grow up without a father who loves him. He hates that he doesn't have a young, playful mother who can chase after him all day. He hates that he always has to make sure those around him haven't had to leave, like his parents did. If the war has taught Harry anything, though, it's that hate never comes to any good.

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_I like to think that this is the main thing Harry took from the war: he learned not to hate. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed Teddy as much as I enjoyed writing him ;)_

_Please review!_


	23. Peace

_Hello hello! Sorry it's taken awhile - I'm still staying with a friend, but everything should be back to normal in a couple of days._

_Why am I updating in the middle of the day (my time) do you ask? Well, I'm home sick from work (not so fun, but I do get paid to stay home!) so you guys get an update. Happy day._

_Just before I do the shoutouts, I'd just like to say: holy crap guys! I logged onto my emails the day after my last update and had a squillion review alerts. It was incredible. I then realised they were mostly due to one person, but even so I want to thank you guys. You've pushed me over 200 reviews which is more than I've ever gotten ever. You all rock!_

_Okay: SilverLily1, Annelili, Sugarplumjellygum (twice), MayMarieK, Tinkerbell79, Delia-of-the-Oysters, Agent Ohoolahan, Magical Singer Gal, mirandoo, NotSoAwry, You Know Who, hoeoverbros, Jellybenz94, MissLisaBennett, glowyrm, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, ihearthp96, werewolfatemyphoenix, fairyfliss... and good-couples, who reviewed 17 times, absolutely shattering the record :) _

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**23. Peace  
Sunday**

"What a week!" groans Percy, falling into a chair opposite Harry and Ron.

"You're telling me," says Ron. "Why do Dark wizards always have to get themselves caught on Saturday mornings? I swear it's a conspiracy against me. 'I'm going to be caught sometime—might as well drag Ron Weasley out of bed while I'm at it!'"

Percy chuckles. "I can't remember the last time I had a Saturday off. There's always something that needs doing, or someone who needs my help. And the paperwork!"

"I know," says Harry. "Eddie Traynor says it never used to be this bad in our department, but accountability has gone through the roof since the war, so…"

"It's the same in every department," says Percy. "Peace is harder work than war, after all. Though at least you two go out into the field! Spare a thought for me!"

"Ah, you love it, Perce," says Ron, yawning. "Merlin, I'm tired. Mind if I kip in your bed for a bit, Harry?"

"Go ahead," says Harry. Having shared a room at Hogwarts, the Burrow, in that dreadful tent and all through training, they have no qualms about sharing.

"Well, I'd best be going," says Percy. "Audrey wanted me to stop for some Pepper Imps on the way home. I can't think why."

"That'll be the pregnancy hormones," says Ginny, just arrived from training. She heads towards the bedroom to get changed.

"Uh, Ginny…" says Harry.

Ginny yelps, and Ron grumbles, "Can't a bloke sleep in peace?"

* * *

_I tried to think of a really weird sweet for Audrey to be craving that wasn't a blood lollipop (come on, way too Twilight) or a cockroach cluster (just no. Way too disgusting.) Gotta love the HP Lexicon, which has lists of all the food in the books and other random stuff like that._

_Anyway, please don't forget to review!_


	24. Chocolate Covered Strawberries

_Okay... Not too much to say about this chapter. I've been planning the events of this chapter for a long time. Some of you aren't going to like it, I can just tell. Sorry, but it was necessary!_

_Shoutouts: Delia-of-the-Oysters, navybrat4, 8thweasleykid, Ivanka Barouche, hoeoverbros, NotSoPerfectWizard, glowyrm, Jellybenz94, werewolfatemyphoenix, good-couples, SilverLily1, Sugarplumjellygum, HLCHLC, MayMarieK, ihearthp96, ChocoholicFtw (twice), ForbiddenLove7, jellybellywelly, xxxBekaForEvaxxx and LOVE IS INFINITE X3. Thanks a million guys! I can't express enough how much all these reviews mean to me. You're all absolute legends.  
_

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24. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries  
Monday**

This is a side of Ginny Harry didn't see until the war. Back then, she hadn't been afraid to let you know if something bothered her. Her passion was what Harry fell in love with.

Fred's death has changed all that. On the surface, that passion is still visible, but she withdraws when something is seriously wrong. Harry realises now that it's when she says everything's fine that he should be worried about her.

All they need to do is talk. _She needs to get all this Bradley stuff off her chest once and for all, and then everything will be okay._

Optimistic, and feeling as though he finally understands, Harry walks through the door—and sees Ginny looking furious.

"What's this?" she asks, gesturing towards an open package on the table in front of her. It contains a punnet of strawberries.

"Looks like strawberries," says Harry, reaching for the note beside it.

"Don't be thick!" says Ginny, voice rising. "Who are they from?"

Harry can smell perfume as he reads. _You can dip these in chocolate and—_

"Holy crap," says Harry, blanching.

"She seems to know you pretty intimately!" says Ginny.

"But I don't even know who it's from—"

"I can't believe that stupid cow was right about you! I've been defending you all this time, and you've been screwing around behind my back! Well, I hope you have fun with her, Harry. She sounds really classy." And with that, she stalks out and Disapparates with a _crack.

* * *

Please review and let me know what you think... even if you hated it :)_


	25. Coffee

_Hello hello! _

_Well, the reactions to the last chapter were pretty as I predicted (except that the Silly Party won - wait that's a Monty Python sketch). Some people hated it, some loved the drama and some people were more along the lines of OMG ur so evil keeping us in suspense!!!! Mwahahahaha._

_Shoutouts: ProfessorChris, xxilykinsmilezxx (18 times - can't remember what the record is but that must come pretty close!), Sparky Dorian, Miss Weasely, Magical Singer Gal, LeftMidd, ermireallydontcare (who wins Penname-Of-The-Week, and reviewed 4 times), You Know Who (whose solution to Harry and Ginny's problems is to lock them in a closet - interesting, but not quite what I had in mind), hoeoverbros, Delia-of-the-Oysters, good-couples, LOVE IS INFINITE X3, MayMarieK, SilverLily1, MissLisaBennett, NotSoPerfectWizard, werewolfatemyphoenix, glowyrm, ihearthp96, ForbiddenLove7, navybrat4, AverageJay, Sugarplumjellygum, HarryGinnyDxC and xxxBekaForEvaxxx. Wow, it's taking a very long time to type out all those names now... again, I have to say how overwhelmed I am at the number of reviews I'm getting. It's so much more than I ever, ever got before (maybe because this story is much, much longer than anything I ever wrote before!). You guys seriously rock._

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* * *

25. Coffee  
Tuesday**

It's been a rough night.

Dawn is beginning to bleed into the darkness at last, but Harry is already sitting in the kitchen, clutching a mug of coffee is his cold hands. The pungent fumes are doing little for his tired brain.

He tends to choose tea over coffee, but after a sleepless night, Harry thought the caffeine might help him get through the day. Instead it's making his head pound and his mind race, always returning to her.

Then again, "sleepless" is not altogether accurate. He did have brief periods of sleep, but every time he'd visit that same old nightmare—it's infrequent these days, but he hasn't dreamt of anything else since the war. This time, Ginny would run away from him, screaming incoherent abuse, only for him to stumble across her lifeless body over and over again.

Worse still, he couldn't even hold her or assure himself that she was safe, since he would wake only to an empty space in his bed and a painful longing in his heart.

While he feels a confusing mix of anger, hurt, sadness and bewilderment, Harry knows that this longing is edging them all out. He won't stay angry for long; he needs her too badly for that.

The package and its note are still on the table. Harry can't help but wonder who sent it. Their lewd suggestion is downright frightening. Who on earth could it be? And _how _could Ginny assume the worst, after all they've been through?

* * *

_By the way - we are officially half way through this story! Very exciting :)_

_Please review!  
_


	26. Pineapple

_Here it goes again... Not much to say about this chapter. When I wrote it a couple of weeks ago, I was on an Avant Garde kick :). Plus I had all sorts of trouble trying to think of something to go with "pineapple" and I kept coming back to Slughorn's favourite treat...  
_

_Shoutouts: ProfessorChris, ermireallydontcare, Sparky Dorian, werewolfatemyphoenix, PrincessofTwilight2010, ForbiddenLove7, fairyfliss, SilverLily1, You Know Who, xxxBekaforEvaxxx, good-couples, futurejkrowling-x, hoeoverbros, navybrat4, MayMarieK, LOVE IS INFINITE X3, xxilykinsmilezxx, Magical Singer Gal, Delia-of-the-Oysters - thanks a million!  
_

**

* * *

26. Pineapple  
Wednesday**

The table is hard under his cheek and his glasses are pushed up to his hairline, but he doesn't notice. The bottle of scotch he's been using to avoid going to bed lies empty on the floor. His consciousness is somewhere different altogether; another place, another time, another life.

The Forest is thick and dark and he can feel that old desperation already clouding his mind. He has been here before, and it will end the same way—with failure.

He has lost the path and is struggling through thick vegetation that tears at his clothes and threatens to entangle him completely, making his helplessness absolute. He crashes into tree trunks and trips on roots over and over again. It is as though the forest itself wants to stop him giving himself up.

There she is, just like before, red hair streaming behind her for all she is motionless. This time she is silent, her eyes conveying all her hurt and anxiety, and his intoxicated mind fights to recall why she is upset. _I don't know who it was,_ he tries to say, but she is already gone.

He sees a figure ahead, but it is not her. It is an impossibly beautiful, silvery-haired woman who holds out a box and says. "Harry, I got you some crystallised pineapple." Her voice is like silk.

He tries to tell her that he does not want it, but instead he wags a finger and says, "You're quite right, it is my favourite…"

* * *

_So, in case it wasn't clear, that was Harry's recurring Final Battle nightmare, with a couple of new things thrown in._

_Please review!  
_


	27. Broken Glass

_What is this, an update? _

_I'm so sorry about my prolonged absence... I don't really have an excuse for it. I had a couple more chapters written but decided I needed to do some forward planning before I uploaded them. This isn't quite finished, but since my friend kat graced me with like fifteen reviews today, I decided to screw it and give you all an update! I hope you're all still hanging in there with me._

_Wow, that wasn't a very good place to leave it, was it? People are like "omg the suspense is killing me", and "wtf was with the silver-haired lady?" Obviously I can't say too much without giving stuff away, but I will say that throughout the books, Harry should have paid a lot more attention to his dreams. Even when he wasn't being posessed by Voldyshorts, his dreams were still prescient and gave the reader great insight into what was happening, even though he didn't realise it. So I will tell you that the silver-haired lady isn't a real person, but she's a product of Harry's mind trying to connect the dots - and coming to a much more accurate conclusion than his conscious mind is!_

_Shoutouts go to: Magical Singer Gal, You Know Who, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, ProfessorChris, NotSoAwry (thankyou!), .xX, werewolfatemyphoenix, ForbiddenLove7, SilverLily1, good-couples, Sparky Dorian, xxilykinsmilezxx (twice for the one chapter!), hoeoverbros, mscf123, Delia-of-the-Oysters, Elise Suzanne (three times), and of course kat. I love you all!_

_I was still on my avant garde kick when I wrote this (I promise this is the last of it though, at least for now). I hope you enjoy it!_

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**27. Broken Glass  
Thursday**

"Harry! Are you there?"

"Nothing. Where d'you suppose he is?"

"Wait, the door's unlocked!"

"That's not like him…"

"Is he there?"

"Oh, bloody hell."

"What?"

"He's passed out on the table."

"Oh no! What's wrong with him?"

"Too much Firewhiskey, probably—argh!"

"Oh my goodness! Ron, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just slipped on something…"

"It was that bottle… it spun out and smashed against the door. Careful, Ron!"

"Relax, Hermione, I have shoes on."

"Scotch? Harry doesn't drink scotch!"

"I can't believe that didn't wake him up! He's completely tanked."

"I've never seen him pass out before, have you?"

"No… but he must've had at least half of that on his own, and we know he's not a strong drinker."

"So why does he suddenly want to drink himself to death? Did something happen yesterday?"

"I didn't see him yesterday, I was locked up in meetings."

"Something mustbe seriously wrong. I've _never _seen him depressed enough to drink half a bottle of scotch in one night."

"I _love _it when you go all know-it-all…"

"_Ron!_"

"What?"

"Harry's in trouble!"

"Well, what sort of things get Harry depressed? Has anybody died?"

"Not that I've heard…"

"Well, you and I are still talking to each other, and we're both still talking to him, so it must be Ginny."

"Of course! I wonder what's happened?"

"I dunno. When was the last time you saw her?"

"Tuesday morning. I assumed she was here."

"That's not good, is it?"

"No. It's not."

* * *

_Please don't forget to leave a review! They seriously rock my world :)_


	28. Party

_Whoopee, I'm still here! _

_Yeah, so sometimes I have something that needs to happen in a chapter, and I kind of vaguely fit it to the prompt afterwards (like this chapter). It kind of works I think._

_I'm glad so many of you are still reading! Shoutouts go to Sparky Dorian, SilverLily1, ForbiddenLove7, MayMarieK, ermireallydontcare, hoeoverbros, fairyfliss, You Know Who, NotSoPerfectWizard, lillyflower08, good-couples, ihearthp96, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, Jellybenz94, werewolfatemyphoenix, kat, MissLisaBennett, and someone who didn't leave a name at all (I didn't even know that was possible?). Thank you all! Somewhere along the line we've broken 300 reviews (almost 350 now!) and I can't thank you all enough for that. And thanks for putting up with my experimentation the last couple of chapters! Things are more normal now._

_Okay, onward!_

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28. Party  
Friday**

"And you don't know who it's from?" asks Ron, inspecting the note with interest.

"No idea," says Harry.

"I agree it's fishy," says Hermione, "but I'm worried about Ginny. It's been four days and nobody's heard from her."

"I still can't believe you told Mum and Dad," says Ron.

"They have a right to know she's gone! Anyway, I didn't tell them everything, I just said she and Harry argued and she hasn't been home since."

"And now Mum's having kittens."

"Well, I said she's probably with a friend, but you know Molly…"

Harry stares at his teacup.

"I wish we knew who sent it," says Ron. "Maybe you have a stalker, Harry?"

"Didn't he get enough of that at Hogwarts?" says Hermione.

"I know I did." Ron shudders at the memory. "Hmm… maybe it was that Bradley woman from the Harpies?"

Hermione frowns. "Maybe. It doesn't really seem her style."

"Of course it does! Right, Harry?"

He doesn't look up.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you all right?"

"I think I'll go to bed. Do you two mind?" he says, as if he isn't even listening.

"No… of course not," says Hermione, caught off-guard. "We'll go. Come on, Ron."

"Thanks." Harry disappears into his room without another word.

"Bollocks. I was having fun," says Ron. Hermione gives him a look. "What?"

"It's not a party, you know. Harry's our best friend, and Ginny's your sister!"

"Yeah, but it felt like old times. The three of us, trying to solve a mystery."

* * *

_Wow, lots of dialogue in this chapter. When there's a lot that needs to be said, I have to cut down the supporting stuff to fit it in my word limit. Fun._

_By the way, I put up another story awhile ago (another challenge), so if you haven't seen it already, go check it out! It's called Unforgivable.  
_

_Please don't forget to review!  
_


	29. First Date

_Whoop whoop, time to go again. I wrote this chapter ages ago but wasn't happy with it... I'm still not entirely but it will have to do. I'll be interested to see what you all think of it._

_By the way, I just watched the last episode of Glee and it was AWESOME._

_Shoutouts go to: xxxBekaForEvaxxx (don't worry they'll get there), good-couples, Sparky Dorian, MissLisaBennett, ProfessorChris, fairyfliss, werewolfatemyphoenix, glowyrm, navybrat4, hoeoverbros, You Know Who, SilverLily1, kat, xxxilykinsmilezxxx and GinnyPotter4evr. Thanks a million guys!_

_You Know Who wondered if they thought to look at the clock (Molly's magic clock that tells her where all the family are). I must admit I didn't think of that! I always thought that the clock wouldn't always tell you exactly where someone is, but rather a general indication (e.g. it says home, school, hospital, but also "lost" and "mortal peril"). I'm guessing it has a "friend's house" or "safe" or something, which is how they know Ginny is okay, but not exactly where she is. So, a very good thought You Know Who!  
_

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29. First Date  
Saturday**

A backlog of filing is never fun, especially when one prefers action. But Harry's pile of paperwork is getting ridiculous, and he needs something to distract him, so the filing has come home with him.

"Thanks for offering to help with these, Isobel," says Harry. "Especially on a Saturday."

"It's no trouble. That's what a secretary's for." He doesn't notice the tremor in her voice. She glances around. "Wow. I didn't expect it to be so…"

Harry looks at dishes piled in the sink and the unidentifiable remains of yesterday's breakfast on the table. He winces. "Sorry about that, I've been a bit… distracted." He flicks at the mess with his wand and the kitchen rights itself.

"You haven't seemed yourself lately," she agrees. "What's the matter?"

He hesitates. "It's my girlfriend," he says at last. "We… had a fight and she left."

Isobel looks shocked. "Harry… I'm so sorry."

"We should get started," he says after a moment. He summons a stack of files, which land on the table with a _thump._

They settle into their work in silence. Ten minutes later, reaching for another file, Harry realises Isobel is still staring at her first, as though she's not really seeing it.

"Are you okay?"

She flinches. "Sorry," she says. "I should go. I shouldn't be here."

"What? No, it's okay," says Harry as she stands up, scattering parchment.

"I'll see you." And for the second time in a week, Harry is left at his table, confused and alone.

* * *

_I don't think I can add anything to that, Colin...?_

_(Whoever gets that reference wins a prize.)_

_Please don't forget to review!  
_


	30. Guts

_Woohoo! You guys are so awesome, I'm going to give you another chapter.  
_

_Exciting news ... I finished planning out this story! I think it's pretty obvious I haven't really been planning ahead (if I had been, I would have mentioned Isobel a little earlier so it wasn't like "holy crap where did she come from?") but anyway it's all good now._

_I'm glad the last chapter wasn't too confusing. I kind of wanted it to be a bit ambiguous, like you could read it one way and then see the title and read it differently. Not sure whether I succeeded in that but anyway. You all asked very good questions, which I am not going to answer. (Bwahaha I feel evil.)_

_Just so you all know, I'm going on holidays (Melbourne and Adelaide yay! Gonna freeze though) next weekend for two weeks, so there will be no updates during that time. I may possibly get another chapter or two up before then though, if you're nice to me._

_Nobody got the reference from yesterday but that may have been because I misquoted it, so you get one more chance: It's actually "Well I can't add anything to that. Colin?" Don't Google it, that's cheating!_

_Shoutouts: Sugarplumjellygum, You Know Who (no it had nothing to do with Twilight, I just like the name. Notice how I spelt it differently?), Magical Singer Gal, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, ProfessorChris, good-couples, NotSoPerfectWizard, alicecullenisrealinmyworld, werewolfatemyphoenix, Delia-of-the-Oysters, lillyflower08, ForbiddenLove7 (and your cousin!), HarryGinnyDxC and ihearthp96. _

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30. Guts  
Sunday**

Hermione kneels in front of the fireplace and takes a handful of Floo powder. She glances nervously at the door yet again, though she knows perfectly well that Harry and Ron are at her flat—she waited for them to settle in for the evening before coming.

Almost a week after Ginny left, Hermione thinks it's time someone had the guts to do something about it. Besides, she has a reasonable idea of where she might be…

She places her head in the emerald flames, enunciating clearly, and when the spinning stops she can see a familiar figure.

"Hello Hermione," says Luna. "How've you been?"

"I need to see Ginny," says Hermione. "I know she's there."

"I don't know what you're talking about," says Luna.

"Please, Luna, I know she doesn't want to talk to me, but everyone's so worried about her."

Luna's eyes flick to a point beyond Hermione's view.

"She's there, isn't she? Come on, Ginny, I just want to talk for a second."

Ginny appears, glaring daggers at her. "How'd you know where I am?"

"Easy. I thought about who I would trust if it were me."

"Does anyone else know?"

Hermione shakes her head. "Ginny, can't you give Harry a chance? You know he'd never cheat—"

"That's right, take his side," says Ginny scathingly. "Everyone always does. Go home, Hermione. I don't want to talk to you." With that she stalks out of view, leaving Hermione feeling as though she's been kicked in the gut.

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_Please don't forget to leave a review!_


	31. Guitar

_Woohoo, another chapter! This is definitely the last one for at least two weeks though while I am in wintry Melbourne and Adelaide! (I am from the north of Australia and it is pretty warm here so it will be a shock for the system.)_

_Shoutouts go to: Sugarplumjellygum, werewolfatemyphoenix, lucyybella, NotSoPerfectWizard, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, good-couples, xXHarryPotterXx, hoeoverbros, DecemberDove, ForbiddenLove7, ihearthp96 and raincaster. You guys are totally awesome!_

_By the way, we have a winner for the little competition... congrats xXHarryPotterXx! The line was indeed from a Monty Python skit called "Election Special". Here it is in context:_

_**Cleese:** Well there we have the first result of the election and the Silly party has held Leicester. Norman._

_**Palin:** Well pretty much as I predicted, except that the Silly party won. Er, I think this is largely due to the number of votes cast. Gerald._

_**Chapman:** Well there's a big swing here to the Silly Party, but how big a swing I'm not going to tell you._

_**Palin:** I think one should point out that in this constituency since the last election a lot of very silly people have moved into new housing estates with the result that a lot of sensible voters have moved further down the road the other side of number er, 29._

_**Cleese:** Well I can't add anything to that. Colin?_

_**Idle:** Can I just say that this is the first time I've been on television?_

_**Cleese:** No I'm sorry, there isn't time, we're just going straight over to Luton._

_Poor Colin gets that a few times in this skit. I promise it's hilarious when you actually listen to it :)  
_

_I have a vague memory of promising a prize - so, besides the eternal satisfaction of getting my obscure reference first, xXHarryPotterXx gets ... this text cookie!_ (::)

_Go on, eat it._

_By the way, this prompt was really hard. Seriously, how are you supposed to fit a guitar into a story about wizards? *rants*  
_

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31. Guitar  
Monday**

A pair of wide blue eyes peer around the door, followed by a curtain of blonde hair. Luna can see the kitchen is empty but the sounds of a shower running are drifting from the bathroom. She ducks inside while she has the chance.

As she leaves a note on the table Luna laments what seems to be an irreversible split between her two friends. It took a few days for Ginny to open up and tell her the whole story, but now Luna doesn't know whether they'll ever reconcile from this.

It wasn't just the strawberries. In fact, it reminds Luna of a boy she met in a Muggle pub she often visited; a struggling musician, he hadn't been able to afford new strings for his guitar. Instead he'd kept playing the old ones, which got harder and harder to keep in tune, until one had broken, and he couldn't play at all.

Ginny had been much the same. Her relationship with Harry had demanded more and more energy with little in return, but she'd kept pretending that everything was normal instead of trying to resolve their problems, until she'd simply snapped under the pressure.

Luna hopes it isn't too late for Harry and Ginny. She's never been in love with anyone in her life and has tended to hold Harry and Ginny up as proof that true love really does exist. If two people who seem made for each other cannot stay together, what hope does she have?

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_Don't forget to review!_


	32. Sour

_I'm alive! Sorry about the extended break, guys - I've been so busy since I got back and this fic has been the last thing on my mind. I'm actually dancing in a show that opens next week so I have three or four rehearsals a week for that, plus work, plus my normal dance schedule, music and everything else I do... but that's enough of my whining._

_Shoutouts go to: xxxBekaForEvaxxx, 91698padfoot, 8thweasleykid, ForbiddenLove7, You Know Who (your comment meant a lot to me, thanks so much!), NotSoPerfectWizard, Fidgetym, Delia-of-the-Oysters, glowyrm, rEiN9, werewolfatemyphoenix, EDGE, xXMizLilyEvansXx, Jexi0322, lucyybella, harryandjamesluvr, kat (x3) and xxilykinsmilezxx (x3). Thanks!_

_I think this is the first time we've seen Arthur in this story? *scratches head* I can't remember lol. Anyway enjoy!_

* * *

**32. Sour  
****Tuesday**

_Harry,_

_I want you to know that Ginny is safe and well. She is staying with me in my flat in Edinburgh. _

_She told me everything that happened. I do not know your side of the story but I cannot believe you would cheat on her. I will try my best to get her to talk to you._

_Luna_

"She was never one to beat around the bush, was she?" says Arthur. "Just like her father."

"You're not wrong," says Harry.

Arthur places the note back on the table. "Thankyou for showing me, Harry." He doesn't meet his eyes.

"I thought you had as much right as I did to know what's going on," says Harry.

"Yes, quite."

In the ten years Harry has known Arthur, he has been nothing but kind to him. It would be safe to say that Arthur was the most stable father figure Harry ever had. For the first time, though, Arthur's attitude is cold. Harry cannot help but feel that he is being blamed for Ginny's disappearance.

"I'd best be off," says the older man, rising from the table.

"Arthur, wait," says Harry. There is a pause as he tries to find the words.

"Yes?"

"You don't—you don't think I…"

Arthur sighs. "Think that you were unfaithful? No, Harry, I don't. I couldn't for a second believe that you would hurt Ginny like that. But I also don't think she would leave so suddenly if there wasn't something else going on. Do you?"

* * *

_Please review! It's the only payment I get for what I do :)_


	33. Candy

_Okay, okay I know it's been forever. The last night of the show was Sunday, so naturally we went out after and I didn't get home til half past two... and spent yesterday recovering. Ahem. I've also been kind of stuck on an upcoming Very Special Chapter - I wanted to finish it before I posted this to keep my buffer but decided what the heck? I like this chapter and I think you will too._

_Shoutouts to: Jexi0322, Sparky Dorian, You Know Who (bahaha, you want humidity, you should come up here in October!), Sugarplumjellygum, good-couples, golfnjen83, 8thweasleykid, werewolfatemyphoenix, alicecullenisrealinmyworld, purelywhite-nami (thanks for the epic review!), SilverLily1, RodentFace, kat, xXMizLilyEvansXx and ForbiddenLove7._

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**

33. Candy  
**Wednesday**

"Harry! Harry!" There is excited banging on the door. Harry opens it with a grin.

"Hello Teddy!"

The little boy jumps up into Harry's arms while Andromeda comes up the steps. "Sorry," she whispers. "He got away from me. Will you be okay with him? I have to go and set up for the P-A-R-T-Y. You won't be late, will you?"

Harry shakes his head and waves her out the door. "We'll be fine. Don't worry about us."

Teddy tugs at Harry's glasses to get his attention. "Guess what, Harry?"

Harry knows what Teddy is going to say, but he is so excited Harry chooses to feign ignorance. "You're mad, and I'm not?"

"Nooo! It's my _birthday_!"

Harry laughs at his indignant expression. "How could I forget that? How old are you now?" The boy holds up four proud fingers. "Wow, Ted, you're getting so big."

Teddy settles himself on the couch, his little feet dangling above the ground.

"Harry? Where's Ginny?"

Harry's heart stutters at her name. "She went away," he says.

Teddy considers this for a moment, and Harry silently begs him not to ask why.

"Are you sad, Harry?"

He almost laughs. "Yeah, little mate, I'm a bit sad."

Teddy digs in his pocket and pulls out a handful of boiled lollies wrapped in paper. "Do you want a sweet?"

"It's okay, Teddy, they're yours. You got them for your birthday."

He carefully places one into Harry's hand anyway. "Sweets always make me feel better," he says.

* * *

_I'm kind of basing Teddy on this kid I know, he's actually six now I think but anyway he can't quite talk properly... in my head Teddy says "Hawwy! Guess what, Hawwy! It's my _birfday_!" Which just makes him even _cuter, _right?_

_I also had a bit of a laugh, because the person who wrote the prompts is probably American (hence 'candy') but in Britain they would says 'sweets', and here in Australia we says 'lollies'! Actually I just looked up and realised I did use lollies once... anyway._

_Please don't forget to review! They might make my update faster ;)_


	34. Slide

_My God, is this an update? Rozzy is actually alive? Yes, I am alive, and I am back and raring to go. Sorry there was such a delay, I got stuck on chapter 35 (which is a Very Important Chapter, as I think I have mentioned), but suddenly a couple of days ago I got inspired and I now have about five chapters done. Huzzah! _

_Having said all that - this chapter isn't very exciting. Sorry. I'm not particularly happy with it but it needed to be out there so we could get onto the important happenings of the next chapter. Anti-climactic, I know, but I promise that the next one will be up tomorrow to make up for it. Something to look forward to!_

_As usual, thankies go to: Sugarplumjellygum, ProfessorChris, SilverLily1, Sparky Dorian, Halle4, ForbiddenLove7, jazi12amaze, TheWitchOfTheSouth, glowyrm, MusicalMarvel (your huge review totally made my week!), xXMizLilyEvansXx, purelywhite-nami, good-couples, laura-csm, Elise Suzanne, werewolfatemyphoenix, ermireallydontcare, whispered touches (by the way, having now judged your work on HPFC, I am honoured that you like my story), Morning Lilies and 91698padfoot. You guys are all totally awesome and I love you!_

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* * *

**

34. Slide

**Thursday**

"Harry! What's going on?" Hermione exclaims as she bursts through the door.

Harry holds up the letter. "I know where she is."

"Oh Harry, that must be such a relief!"

"Yeah," he says, frowning. "Why do I get the feeling that isn't news to you?"

She sighs. "I went there on a hunch and she was so angry… she really didn't want anyone to know where she was."

"So she made you promise not to tell me?"

Hermione looks even more uncomfortable. "Not exactly…"

"Then what?" His voice starts to rise. "You didn't think I deserved to know?"

"Oh Harry, of course I didn't think that! I just—just didn't want to lose her trust too."

He takes a deep breath. "Okay."

"…What?" Hermione looks as though she was expecting an explosion.

"Okay." He gives a wry smile. "Come on, I'm not that bad, am I? It's okay, I understand. I probably would have done the same thing."

She laughs. "Thanks, Harry."

"It's cool," he says. "Just don't suddenly walk out on me. Girls keep doing that to me lately."

"Girls other than Ginny, you mean?"

"Didn't I tell you about that? This secretary from the office, Isobel, came over to help with my filing…"

Hermione is silent as he recounts the story, but her mind seems elsewhere.

"Harry—I've just realised! It all makes sense—and I have to go!"

Harry stares at the door as it shuts behind her. "She never could take twenty seconds to explain herself."

* * *

_I recently ran and judged a competition on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum, in which people wrote oneshots about the day after the Final Battle. I promised to spruik the winners in my next update, so here they are (and you can find links to them in my faves:_

_3rd place – "Fading Bruises, Eternal Scars" by Jg Rox_  
_Equal 2nd place – "Freedom of Choice" by Moon Hound Hati and "You are in ruins" by xxx-angelin-xxx_  
_1st place – "After the Battle" by amerikanka_

_You should all go and read them - they were all amazing. If you like them, you can find the other stories entered into the comp at the HPFC forum, in the "Competition: The Day After The Final Battle" thread._

_Shameless plug over. Review!_


	35. Swing

_Here we are, as promised: a Very Important Chapter. Rather longer than usual, as I'm sure you were about to notice - there was just too much that needed to be said to fit it into my 250 word limit. I promise this will be the only time in this story that I will break my rule, but you'll understand that I absolutely had to :)_

_Shoutouts to crazyharrypotterfan, whispered touches, yellow 14, ForbiddenLove7, Sparky Dorian, SilverLily1 and werewolfatemyphoenix. Well done for getting in and reviewing within 24 hours! _

_Okay, I'm going to shut up now, as I'm sure you want to get on with the damn chapter already, seeing how much I've already built it up. _

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35. Swing

**Friday**

_Up ... down ... up ... down ..._

Teddy shouts with glee as the bedsheet Harry has fashioned into a swing from the doorframe catapults him back and forth. Harry's mind, however, is elsewhere.

_Up ... down ..._

Should he? Shouldn't he?

Arthur's words echo in his head. Could he be right? Could Harry really be to blame after all? But what has he done?

He has always tried to be good for her, worthy of her: loving, caring and most of all respecting. He respects her nature, her body, her wishes ... even now, though it is killing him to be apart from her. If she doesn't want to see him, then he is not going to force her. _But what if that isn't the answer anymore? _

_Up ..._

What if he went to speak to her? What if that made things worse?

_Down ..._

What if he didn't, and they never saw each other again?

If only he knew what the problem was! After leaving her behind for a year, he had always been careful not to do anything wrong ...

_Up ... down ..._

_Face it, Potter, you're not going to work this out on your own. You need to ask her._ As soon as Teddy went home, he would Floo to Luna's and talk to her—

"Ginny!" cries Teddy.

Harry almost doesn't want to turn around, in case she isn't really there, but he does, and she is. She isn't looking at him.

"Hello Teddy!" she says. "I'm so sorry I missed your birthday, little man. Maybe the three of us could go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and get you a present?"

Teddy jumps down from his homemade swing and runs over to hug her around the knees. Harry still doesn't speak. _The three of us?_

ooo

Finally, _finally_, they have the flat to themselves. Sitting at the table feels strange; it's so normal, and yet there is still something unspoken between the two of them. Harry feels an odd mixture of relief and apprehension, love and fear: he doesn't know whether what Ginny is about to say will put things back to normal, or change them forever, and suddenly he's not sure if he wants to find out.

"I had an epiphany today," she says.

Harry doesn't say anything, but he looks at her and something in his eyes gives her the courage to continue.

"It's so stupid," she says. "I mean, I should have realised it ages ago. I think I was too angry, at too many things, and I needed some time to work out what really mattered."

She took a deep breath. "I'm so sorry, Harry," she says, and her eyes are pleading for him to understand. "I'm sorry I got so angry. I'm sorry I spent so long wondering why we weren't talking anymore when all it need was for me to say something. I'm sorry I got so jealous when you never did anything to deserve it. I never thought you cheated on me, not really, but reading that letter made me doubt for just a second, and everything that had been building up inside me for weeks just exploded …"

"We never talked, Harry. That's what our problem was. We never talked about it when there was something wrong. I was upset, because Bradley was getting under my skin and I couldn't work out why it hurt so much, but I never talked to you about it. Then I was upset because we weren't talking about it! I was upset because everything was going well for you, and I was always sitting here waiting for you to come back to me, when all along I've had it just as good as you. It wasn't your fault, but I was blaming you for being famous, and I wished you'd stop casting a shadow over me, when that shadow is the thing you've always hated the most."

After several moments of silence, Harry speaks. "You know what sucks, Gin? I had that epiphany the same day you got that letter."

She gives a small sob. "Harry, can you ever forgive me?"

Harry looks her squarely in the eye and says, "Ginny, I love you more than anything in the world. Of course I forgive you—I never want to lose you again. Can you forgive me?"

"Didn't I just spend five minutes telling you how this _wasn't _your fault?" says Ginny with a shaky laugh.

"From now on, we share everything," says Harry firmly. "It took both of us to stop talking, and it will take both of us to start again."

ooo

And so they talk, _really _talk, for the first time in months. Ginny is no longer afraid of sounding petty, and she knows now that Harry wants to know how she feels, no matter what. Harry is no longer afraid of upsetting her by making her do things she does not want to do, and so he asks difficult questions, making sure he knows everything that has been the matter with her. The kitchen table, the scene of so many moments in their lives, the scene of their separation, now sees them reconciled. Their lives have finally swung back into place. And despite having not even touched her since she came in, Harry feels closer to Ginny than ever.

After what seems like forever, Ginny gets up to leave.

"So you're going back to your place?" asks Harry, and she nods.

"I just hope Hermione doesn't hex me before I can say I'm sorry," she says with a wry grin.

"And you'll come back over tomorrow?" Harry pushes.

Ginny lifts a gentle hand to his face. Her touch reassures Harry even more than her words. "I promise."

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_Well! I hope you enjoyed that. As I said last chapter, I got really stuck on this and it took me forever to finish, so I hope it turned out okay. I also hope I've been able to convey Ginny's thoughts and motivations - I have them in my head, of course, but that's very different to getting them in writing. Anyway, PLEASE let me know what you think!_


	36. Hug

_Never fear! This story is not over yet. I promised fifty chapters, and fifty chapters you shall receive. For those who are mathematically challenged, that means we still have fifteen to go!_

_In other news: I had my clarinet exam today, which was a bit scary but it went pretty well (a scale or two exepted) so that's all good. Also, I have my dance concert next Saturday, and since I am the teacher as well as one of the main dancers that's pretty full on for me, so I'm sorry if I don't update as often as I'd like. I have quite a few chapters written in advance now, so I'll be aiming for every two days, but anyway we'll see how we go._

_Shoutouts go to ctc, CaptureTheDream, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, bookworm1256, 91698padfoot, golfnjen83, Sapphire-Rosethorn, Sugarplumjellygum, whispered touches, maddieeeee (I think you win Penname of the Whenever-I-Feel-Like-It), werewolfatemyphoenix, Amnesia Completa and Elise Suzanne. You guys are totally awesome!_

_An especially big thankyou for the feedback on last chapter - I'm so glad most of you liked it!_

_I really like this chapter - it was a nice change of pace for me and I thought it turned out quite well._

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36. Hug

**Saturday**

_I'd forgotten how good he smells. He's so warm. I can feel his heart beating. I can feel it speed up when I touch him. How could I have angry at him? How could I have walked out? It all seems so stupid now. _

_It feels so right, having his arms around me. I remember the first time we stood like this, back when we were together at school. That seems like such a long time ago. It felt like we fit perfectly together, like we'd been made for each other, even though that sounds like a line from one of Hermione's Muggle romance novels. I can rest my head on his shoulder. I'm only a few inches shorter than him, and I like it that way. I could stay like this forever. _

ooo

_It's nice, just standing here holding each other. Part of me feels like I should be ravishing her, letting her know exactly how much I love her, making her scream in pleasure. But I know that right now, I just need to be there for her, and that side of us will happen eventually. It's strange; I don't even really miss it. I just want us._

_Her hair is so soft! It's always manageable, not like mine. I hope our kids get hair like hers. Christ, I can't believe I just thought that. I can't believe it actually feels right to think that. How on Earth did we come out of this stronger than we were before?_

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Ha, this italics thing totally doesn't work when the whole chapter is in italics, huh?

Review!


	37. Letter

_Hey hey hey, here I am again with another chapter for you! I've been on a roll the last few days and have quite few chapters written - in fact I only have four left to write, which is a bit scary. This will be the first long fanfic I have ever finished._

_I couldn't do it without all my reviewers, so shoutouts go to Elise Suzanne, Sugarplumjellygum, Mistymist, bookworm1256, whispered touches, ForbiddenLove7, HeyyoitsK, HarryGinnyDxC, Delia-of-the-Oysters, werewolfatemyphoenix and yellow 14. You guys are all supermegafoxyawesomehot! (Some gratuitous Starkid love for you.)_

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37. Letter

**Sunday**

"Look what I got today!" calls Ginny from the door.

Harry gets up from his lunch and takes the envelope she's holding, a green logo with a yellow talon on the front.

"A letter from the team? But they haven't—I mean, you're not—are you?"

Ginny smirks. "Very articulate, Harry. No, they haven't sacked me. It's next season's contract."

A relieved grin breaks over Harry's face. "That's great!" he says. "Were you worried?"

"Of course not," she says. "I'm the best scorer on the team. I nearly broke the league record for Quaffle steals in a season. They won't sack me."

"Ginny, you _broke a __teammate's__ nose._ What if Bradley complained to management?"

She sighs. "All right, maybe I was little worried."

"And what if the _Prophet_ had got wind of it? It would have reflected badly on the whole league."

"I know that," says Ginny. "You don't need to tell me off again, Harry."

He takes her hand in his. "I'm not trying to tell you off," he says, his voice soft. "It's just—you love Quidditch, Gin. I'd hate to see you lose that over Bradley. She's not worth it."

"I know," says Ginny. "I'm won't risk my career over something that stupid again. I promise."

Satisfied, Harry sits back down to his food, takes the contract out of its envelope and nearly chokes. "_How _much are they paying you?"

"Oh yeah," says Ginny casually, although Harry can tell she hadn't really forgotten. "They made me vice-captain."

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_Please don't forget to review!_


	38. xxx

_Woohoo, Rozzy is on fire!_

_I got some really amazing reviews for the last chapter. It's that which makes it so much easier to sit down and write these - knowing that there are people out there (and, except for like three of you, people I don't even know!) who look forward to reading them and like them enough to let me know. Getting told that I put someone in a good mood, or that I got a character right, makes it totally worth it. You guys are awesome!_

_Shoutouts to: Annelili, SilverLily1, Sapphire-Rosethorn, Elise Suzanne, Sugarplumjellygum, ForbiddenLove7, ctc, Delia-of-the-Oyster, whispered touches, HarryGinnyDxC, good-couples, glowyrm, yellow 14, Morning Lilies, GinnyPotter4evr, Jellybeanz94, Hedda94, Sparky Dorian and werewolfatemyphoenix._

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38. xxx

**Monday**

_Hi Gin,_

_Sorry I missed you, I had to leave early for a meeting. I should be home by six—shall we go out for dinner?_

_Harry xxx_

Ginny is disappointed not to see Harry when she comes over, but the note he has left makes her smile. This is the Harry she has been missing; thoughtful, attentive, romantic.

Of course, Harry wasn't like that in the Voldemort years. Back then, despite an almost reckless disregard for his own safety, he'd been concerned mostly with his own problems, and his own suffering. With an upbringing like his, it was hardly surprising, but he often had trouble understanding how others were feeling—indeed, his friendship with Ron had almost ended because of that. And when the survival of the wizarding world rests on your shoulders, you can be forgiven for not being considerate.

After the war, a new Harry had emerged—one who tried hard to treat Ginny, at least, as though her feelings mattered as much as his did—and she had fallen even more in love with him.

And, even though she doesn't deserve it, he loves her. He loves her enough to listen to her, to respect her need to go slowly, to leave her kisses in ink when she isn't ready for real ones. She knows she hasn't earned his love, but she is so grateful that he's given it to her anyway, and she plans to spend a long time making up for leaving. Maybe forever.

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_Thanks guys! Review!_


	39. Diary

_Hey guys! We've passed 500 reviews! That is absolutely amazing - I think my record for a story before now was less than 200, so to get this many is the most awesome thing ever. (Counting back, I think I must have passed 500 last chapter, but I didn't notice - I updated in a hurry. Whoops.) Anyway, belated cookies for everyone! (: :)_

_-hint hint- If we could make it to 600 by chapter fifty, I would love you all forever ..._

_Shoutouts go to Sapphire-Rosethorn, SilverLily1, Delia-of-the-Oysters (by the way, there will be fifty chapters altogether), Sugarplumjellygum, yellow 14, kirstycosby, glowyrm, Elise Suzanne, Sparky Dorian, bookworm1256, whispered touches, Kiki Strike.1, werewolfatemyphoenix and ForbiddenLove7. _

_Some people loved the last chapter, and some people disliked my analysis of Harry. I totally agree that he was more concerned with the big picture, and I was trying to convey that in the last chapter. Harry is, as I think Dumbledore put it, an incredibly selfless person, and shows us time and time again how willing he is to sacrifice himself for others - but he is also somewhat self-centred. I think the most telling thing here is that we never once, in seven years, hear him ask Ron about his feelings for Hermione. He tends to keep things to himself, and he has trouble relating when Ron gets jealous in GoF, because he's never thought about how Ron might be affected by his fame. And I like to think, as I tried to say in the last chapter, that he grew out of it!_

_Okay, on we go. Not my favourite chapter, but a necessary one - and I promise some Exciting will happen in chapter forty!_

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39. Diary

**Tuesday**

Ron and Hermione come over after work, Ginny in tow, and the four of them settle in for a drink. The Weird Sisters are playing on the wireless, there is plenty of wine, and they are laughing at some anecdote of Ron's—to Harry, it seems like things are almost back to normal.

"We should all go out for dinner," says Hermione. "We could dress up and go to a fancy restaurant with too many courses. A Muggle one, so we don't get mobbed."

"Which night?" asks Ginny. "It can't be this week, Harry's on night duty until Monday."

"We're going to the Burrow for dinner on Tuesday," says Ron.

"Ginny and I are both free on Wednesday," says Harry.

"Oh really?" asks Ginny teasingly. "And what makes you so sure I can fit you into my busy schedule, Potter?"

"And Thursday is Victoire's birthday, and the Ball," says Hermione, rolling her eyes at her friend.

"_Already_? It feels like we just had the last one. Do we have to go?" asks Ron.

"Of course we do," says Hermione, frowning at him. "Honestly Ron, don't you think it's important to commemorate the war?"

"Yeah, I do," says Ron. "And I can think of better ways to do it than a Ball. I hate dancing."

"Poor Ronniekins," says Ginny. "Maybe Hermione should leave you at home while she dances with all the handsome Ministry wizards. Would you like that?"

"Hell no!"

"Thought not," Ginny smirks. "You can thank me later, Hermione."

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_So yeah, I'm not sure that an English guy, even Ron, would say 'hell no', but it was too perfect not to use ;)_

_Review!_


	40. Kiss

_Oh my gosh, it's chapter forty! Only ten more chapters to go and it's kind of scary._

_Thankies go to yellow 14, glowyrm, Siriusly Siriused (who wins penname of the week), Delia-of-the-Oysters, ForbiddenLove7, whispered touches, Dora, Sparky Dorian, werewolfatemyphoenix, Seadrance and bookworm1256. _

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40. Kiss

**Wednesday**

Harry and Ginny have shared too many kisses to count over the years. There was that triumphant first one, in full view of the common room; there were hundreds at Hogwarts, full of sweetness and light; there was a very desperate one, in Ginny's room on Harry's seventeenth birthday; there have been many in the years since, some passionate, some affectionate, and some simply loving. None, however, were like this one.

They are sitting on the couch in silence; Ginny is reading the _Prophet _and Harry a long case report. Suddenly, he feels it being tugged out of his hands.

"Hey," he protests. "I was reading that."

"I have to go to a meeting about next season," says Ginny softly. "I'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," he says, expecting her to stand up and leave, but instead she leans close and presses her lips to his. It is slow and tender, almost uncertain; it has only been a few weeks since they last kissed, but it feels like a lifetime. Harry revels in the taste of her, familiar yet exotic, and his very essence thrills at the closeness.

Soon Ginny deepens their embrace, shifting so that she is straddling his waist, and he responds eagerly. Her fingers tangle in his hair and he wraps his warm arms around her, pulling her tight against his body, and she smiles against his mouth—finally, things are right.

When she must pull away, she does so with regret. "I love you," she whispers.

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_So maybe not Exciting with a capital E for most of you ... so sue me. I find kisses exciting._

_Please review! xoxo_


	41. Emerald Green Lace

_Whoops ... sorry guys, a little thing called "real life" got in the way of uploading this. It's only been like a week and half though, so that's really not too bad! Yay!_

_Now, just so you all know - in a week's time, I'm going to start this thing called NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. This means I will be spending EVERY SINGLE POSSIBLE SECOND typing away, trying to write at least fifty thousand words of a novel between 1st and 30th November. While I have almost finished writing this fic, and plan to have it done by next Monday, actually having time to upload all the chapters at my current rate of one chapter every two days may not be possible. So, I have a question for you - would you rather get all the rest of the chapters pretty much at once, so they are all up by next Monday, or would you rather wait and keep getting them one at a time - on an unpredictable schedule?_

_While you ponder this, hear are today's shoutouts: werewolfatemyphoenix, Sapphire-Rosethorn, ctc, Delia-of-the-Oysters, RiddikulusSnuffles, alicecullenisrealinmyworld, yellow 14, GinnyPotter4evr, ForbiddenLove7, whispered touches, ermireallydontcare, glowyrm, J G Wentworth (I'm honoured you think that - and don't worry, that never crossed my mind!), and 91698padfoot. You guys are AMAZING!_

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41. Emerald Green Lace

**Thursday**

Ginny is already at the table when Harry gets home from his night shift. "Hey there," he says with a smile, and he leans down to kiss her before sitting down, just because he can.

"Morning," she says. "How was work?"

"Boring. How are you?"

"Fine. Mum dragged me out shopping after the meeting yesterday for this stupid Ball. I couldn't work out if she was trying to be helpful, or if she was still punishing me for disappearing."

Mrs Weasley had not been pleased when Ginny returned from Luna's—the words "irresponsible", "foolish" and "worried sick" had been used rather a lot—and though Ginny left on good terms, you never knew whether Mrs Weasley had quite forgiven you or not.

"Ouch, shopping torture," says Harry, shuddering at the thought. "How bad was it?"

"She had her heart set on me wearing this green lacy thing." says Ginny, rolling her eyes. "I told her I'd rather wear something from this century. And anyway, I don't wear green."

"Why not?"

"It makes me look like a Christmas decoration, that's why not."

"I like green," says Harry, looking a little disappointed.

"So do I," says Ginny. "On you."

Harry snorts. "So does everyone. I suppose your mother has already decided I'm wearing green dress robes to this Ball, like always?"

Ginny shakes her head.

"No?"

"Nope. You're going to wear your nice black ones with the gold embroidery. They'll go really nicely with the dress I bought."

Harry sighs. "Of course."

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_Not particularly exciting, but necessary. I promise that the next couple of chapters are funnier, and after that the plot will kick back in (amazing, I know!)_

_Please don't forget to leave a review! xoxo_


	42. Detention

_Whoa, what is this, an update after only one day?_

_So I got a mixed response to my question about updating last chapter - some people wanted them up all at once, and some people wanted me just to update when I can. I've decided to compromise, and update once a day until Monday, and then TRY to keep going with that until they're all up. There'll only be one or two left by then anyway so it won't matter too much. I actually really want to get this up before 06/11, because that is the date I first published this story last year. How cool is that?_

_Shoutouts for SapphireRosethorn (who reviewed so soon after I updated, I was like whoa! and gave me nine smilies to boot. Good luck with your exams gorgeous!), werewolfatemyphoenix, SilverLily1, Sugarplumjellygum, glowyrm, purelywhite-nami, yellow 14, x-Live-love-life-x, whispered touches (your reviews always make my day!), Donut Holsteen, bookworm1256, Blondebunny55, alicecullenisrealinmyworld and Sparky Dorian. I know I say it all the time but YOU GUYS ARE FREAKIN' AWESOME!_

_And now, a comedic (hopefully) interlude:_

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42. Detention

**Friday**

When Harry sees Ginny's white face as she comes through the door, he thinks for one wild second that something terrible has happened. "Oh my God, Ginny, what's wrong?"

Collapsing into a chair, Ginny squeezes her eyes shut. "Sweet Merlin, I never want to see _anything _like that again, ever. I have been scarred for life. I actually want to take my brain out and Scourgify it so that I never have to have that mental image again."

Harry raises his eyebrows. "What did you see?"

"Something too horrifying to share," says Ginny, shaking her head.

Harry, curious, has some idea where this is going. "Did this involve Ron and Hermione?"

Ginny shudders and nods. "Shouldn't I be able to walk into my own sitting room without wanting to poke my eyeballs out with a fork?"

"Were they in a… compromising position?"

She nods again.

"Come on, Ginny, spill. What were they doing?"

She takes a deep breath. "I walked in, and the first thing I saw was Ron, wearing boxers and his old school tie. Tied to a chair. Looking… _happy._"

"Kinky," Harry grins. "I always suspected Hermione had a naughty side."

"Then Hermione came in, carrying a riding crop. She told him to call her Professor Granger, and then she told him he'd been very bad and she was putting him in detention!"

Harry roars with laughter. "It's not funny!" cries Ginny. "I do _not _want to think about my brother and Hermione like that! It's just wrong!"

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_Is it bad that this is the first thing that came into my head when I saw the prompt "Detention"?_

_By the way, I'm curious to know if anyway knows where the "poke my eyeballs out" line is from. A hint: it's an HP fanfic, on this site, but it's quite old, and the full line is from Harry - "Or I could poke my eyeballs out with a spork." (Spork just didn't quite seem to fit here, so I had to paraphrase. Somehow spork makes it ten times funnier though!)_

_If no one gets it, I'll let you know which fic it was next chapter anyway, so you can all go read it because it's hilarious. And no googling!_


	43. Massage

_Wow... not much to talk about when I update every day, haha._

_I'm glad most of you liked the last chapter! It made me giggle :)_

_I was amazed at the reviews I got - I actually got two reviews within three minutes of updating. Mind. Blown._

_Thankyous for RiddikulusSnuffles, yellow 14, werewolfatemyphoenix, SilverLily1, 8thweasleykid, Meisterburger (umm... thanks), glowyrm, purelywhite-nami, x-Life-love-live-x, crolmac, Atayla (thanks!), Jazz Hands, Morning Lilies (it wasn't So You're A Masochist, but I'm reading it now and it's tres funny!), whispered touches, E., Sugarplumjellygum, Blondebunny55, obsession-iz-a-good-thing (you win Penname of the Week!). You are absolute legends._

_Also, we had winners for last chapter's challenge! *Drumroll please* Well done to E. and obsession-iz-a-good-thing. Indeed, it was The Revenge of Lord Vodkamort by Lizbee, and is the funniest fanfiction I have ever read. You should all go and read it. Right now. Right after you read this._

_Onward!_

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43. Massage

**Saturday**

"Ron!"

Hermione runs to catch him before he reaches the door. "For heaven's sake, Ron, you _can't _just barge in to look for your scarf—"

"Relax, Hermione. Harry wouldn't mind."

"What if you interrupted something?"

"It's barely lunchtime! What are they going to be doing?"

He puts a hand on the doorknob, about to open it, when he hears a noise from within.

"What was that?"

The groan sounds again, louder. Then—

"Oh, Ginny, _yes…_"

Hermione has to bite back a laugh as Ron's ears glow red. "What is he doing to her? Is he doing what I think he's doing?"

"Ron, _be quiet!_" Hermione whispers, trying to hide her smirk. "Come on, let's just go—"

"Oh yes, right there!" says Harry.

"It sounds like they're in the kitchen!" says Ron, scandalised, dropping his voice only a little. "The kitchen! In broad daylight!"

"It's Harry's flat, Ron, they can do whatever they please," says Hermione.

Now Ginny's voice floats out. "You know, it might be easier if you lay on the floor, Harry. It would be a lot easier to get that spot…"

"Bloody hell!" Ron sputters. "Haven't they heard of Silencing Charms? Anyone could have come by and heard them!"

"Come _on, _Ron—"

"I mean, what about me! I'm her brother! I don't want to come over and hear my best friend and my sister f—"

"_Ron!_"

"Well, I don't!"

"You _did _come over unannounced. I hate to say I told you so, but…"

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_Bahaha, gotta love unintentional revenge. By the way, before anyone says anything, LOOK AT THE PROMPT. Despite Ron jumping to conclusions, Ginny is just giving Harry a massage. Kay?_

_Okay, now review._


	44. A Box of Tissues

_What is this, the plot? What a novel concept._

_Something very exciting has happened ... we made it to 600 reviews! You guys are AMAZING. I know I say that all the time but it's totally true. It's true that I've never written a fic with this many chapters before, but I've also never had a story hit 100 reviews, let alone 600 so I want to thank you all for your loyalty, for taking the time to review and for your kind comments - they really mean a lot to me._

_A couple of people had questions about the last two chapters, so I shall answer them. No, Ron and Hermione don't know that Ginny saw them. Also, Ginny didn't hang around and watch - it all happened rather quickly, and I think in that situation you'd be frozen to the spot for a few seconds before you got the hell out of there! So not quite as kinky as it may have seemed - sorry about that ;)_

_Also, I am not planning on a sequel at this stage, but I am working on a couple of other things at the moment... and you never know, I might get inspired one day to write a sequel!_

_Shoutouts go to yellow 14, CaptureTheDream, Sugarplumjellygum, Amnesia Completa, glowyrm (with the shortest review I have every received, or even seen in my life!), purelywhite-nami, whispered touches, ctc, Alicecullenisrealinmyworld, trtldx123, navybrat4, Senorita Sassybuns, SilverLily1, ForbiddenLove7 (x3) and werewolfatemyphoenix._

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44. A Box of Tissues

**Sunday**

A piece of paper slides under the door. It is the thing Hermione has been waiting for; she opens the door in a flash, and the brunette behind it looks terrified.

"Isobel," says Hermione. "Don't worry, Harry isn't here. I just wanted to ask you some questions."

She steers the younger girl inside. "Here, sit down. I want to ask about this note. Do you know anything about it?"

Isobel barely looks at it. "N-no. I don't know anything."

"Please, Isobel. That note nearly ruined the lives of two of my closest friends. Did you send it?"

"N-no," she says. "I swear, it wasn't me."

"Really? Because I'm sure if we compared it with that report you just left, the handwriting would be remarkably similar."

Suddenly Isobel is crying. "Please, you don't understand!"

"I think I do," says Hermione, and her voice is kind. "I remember you from Hogwarts, Isobel. Your sister was in Ravenclaw, but you were in Gryffindor, weren't you? You were a quiet achiever. Harry was always there, but he never noticed someone like you. You couldn't believe your luck when you got this job. Maybe he would finally notice you! But he never saw you as anything except a secretary."

Isobel nods, cheeks wet with tears. Hermione hands her a tissue.

"But I know you'd never write that," she says. "It was someone else's idea, wasn't it? Someone else said they could make him notice you."

Isobel looks at Hermione in disbelief. "How did you know?"

* * *

_So hopefully that was not too confusing - the next chapter will clear everything up, I promise._

_I didn't really have room to explain, but I imagine Hermione knew from Harry that Isobel would be dropping a report around, and being incredibly sneaky, she waited to confront her. She might even have sent the request for the report in the first place! ... Nah, that would be taking it a bit _too _far. Lol._


	45. Games

_Hello hello, and welcome to the "Hermione explains it all" chapter that every good fanfic should have ;)_

_By the way ... only five chapters to go after this one! I'm still not over that. It's FREAKIN' AMAZING._

_Shoutouts for everyone! Let's see: glowyrm, Meisterburger, SilverLily1, yellow 14, werewolfatemyphoenix, bookworm1256, purelywhite-nami, Little Emily, ForbiddenLove7, ctc, Senorita Sassybuns, Sugarplumjellygum, whispered touches and x-Live-love-life-x. Nice to see I am still getting some new reviewers! Welcome guys!_

_Lots of people tried to guess what was going on after last chapter, but I'm pleased to say that no one managed to guess exactly. So, without any further ado ..._

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45. Games  
**Monday**

"It was _Isobel_?"

Harry feels like his chin should have hit the floor as Hermione nods.

"I don't believe it," he says. "She's so quiet. She seems so… innocent. She'd never hurt anybody."

"That's just it," says Hermione. "She didn't mean to hurt anybody. It wasn't her idea. She was in love with you, Harry, and you never gave her so much as a second glance, so she did what her sister told her to do."

"Her sister?"

Suddenly Hermione gets a triumphant gleam in her eye, and Harry has a fleeting vision of her with a jar in her hand, crowing over Rita Skeeter.

"You didn't even know her full name, did you? _Isobel Bradley. _She's Rosaria's sister."

Harry's jaw really does drop this time. "This was _Bradley's _fault? All along?"

Hermione nods again. "Ron thought it was, remember? But it felt wrong to me. Bradley's cruel, but she's sneaky and underhanded. She only ever picks on Ginny when they're alone, so no one knows she's doing it. She wouldn't have sent something like that herself. But when you told me about Isobel acting strangely, it occurred to me that Bradley might convince someone to do it for her—and then everything fell into place."

"So she got her _own sister _to send me a vulgar note?"

"She's a sick, spiteful cow," says Hermione viciously. "Rosaria knew it would never make you notice Isobel. She didn't care about her, or you—she only wanted to make Ginny's life hell."

* * *

_So most people figured out it was Bradley, or Isobel's sister, but no one worked out they were the same person, mwahahaha! I feel evil._

_Review!_


	46. Field

_Sorry guys! Didn't get to update yesterday as I was totally busy... went to this FABULOUS cocktail party for my friend's birthday and only got a few hours sleep. And now I am waiting up til midnight so I can start my NaNo novel! I'm going to be SO dead tomorrow._

_Like lots of these chapters, the prompt is only kind of vaguely related to what happens, but meh._

_Shoutouts to x-Live-love-life-x, RiddikulusSnuffles, werewolfatemyphoenix, Sugarplumjellygum, Sparky Dorian, Little Emily, HarryGinnyDxC, 8thweasleykid, yellow 14, ForbiddenLove7, Morning Lilies (congrats!), purelywhite-nami (to be perfectly honest, when I first introduced Bradley, I wasn't exactly sure how this was going to pan out...), Blondebunny55, Senorita Sassybuns, xXMizLilyEvansXx, Burns9569, SilverLily1, glowyrm, Darkangelodd, whispered touches, 91698padfoot, IIII, good-couples and Kama._

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46. Field

**Tuesday**

_The Holyhead Harpies have announced next season's line-up—and accomplished Chaser Rosaria Bradley has not been included._

_Team officials say that Bradley's contract was not renewed after extensive talks with the player, and that the decision was "mutual"._

_However, sources close to the team reveal that Bradley has been at odds with the team for some time._

"_She is extremely competitive," said a former training assistant. "Bradley's definitely not a team player. I can't see her choosing to leave the Harpies; she must have been given no alternative."_

_Bradley refused to comment on the matter yesterday._

Harry is staggered. "What happened?"

"She threw a hissy-fit when I was made vice-captain," says Ginny, folding the newspaper. "Jones told her she was sick of her attitude. Then she gave her an ultimatum: leave the team quietly, or let Jones tell the _Prophet _exactly what she said about _you. _Of course, the public wouldn't take very kindly to _that_, so she had to agree."

Harry whistles. "Wow."

"That's not all. Turns out she _did _complain about me hitting her—but Jones heard the whole thing through a window. She told Bradley she was lucky I only hit her once and threw her out of the office!"

Harry does not look entirely convinced. "Won't that just make her even more jealous?"

Ginny nods. "Maybe. But she can't do anything. Jones would never let her get away with it."

"So you mean..."

Suddenly a grin breaks over her face. "She's gone," she says. "It's over."

* * *

_So I hope that was a satisfactory ending to the Bradley plot... let me know what you thought. And never fear! There are still four chapters to go!_


	47. Angel

_Rozzy is alive! Hey guys, sorry I haven't been able to get on here for the final few chapters. I've been crazy busy (not to mention trying to write a novel, and failing - I've only written like half of what I should have by now) but anyway I'm back now._

_Thanks so much for all your reviews last chapter! It was amazing to see so many of you invested in my story ... you all seemed so relieved that Bradley was finally gone! (Believe me, I was too.) If you can't remember what the hell I'm talking about, because it's been way too long since I updated, maybe you should go back and read the last chapter or two ;)_

_Shoutouts to everyone, because you are amazing: ctc, SilverLily1, whispered touches, glowyrm, ForbiddenLove7, 91698padfoot, bookworm1256, Little Emily, Senorita Sassybuns, Sugarplumjellygum, SparkyDorian, werewolfatemyphoenix, yellow 14 and purelywhite-nami. Legends!_

_Again, this prompt doesn't have a whole lot to do with what happens in the chapter, but it did help inspire it so I guess that's okay._

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47. Angel

**Wednesday**

There is a knock on the door and Harry emerges to open it, still doing up the buttons on his dress shirt. Ron and Hermione are in the doorway, smiling and dressed for dinner at a good Muggle restaurant.

"Oh, it's you two," says Harry. "Since when do you guys knock?"

There is an awkward pause. "Oh, er… no reason," says Hermione, still beaming. "Are you two ready to go? They said they wouldn't be able to hold the reservation if we weren't there by eight."

"I'm ready. Ginny's still doing her hair but she won't be long," says Harry. "How are you two?"

"Oh, you know…" says Hermione, as Ron says "What?"

"Big day, eh?" says Harry wryly. "Me too. I was ordered to tail a bloke who was seen acting suspiciously in Knockturn Alley and wait for further instructions. I followed him to Cardiff and back before anyone realised it was Traynor in disguise."

"Sorry?" says Ron. He's jiggling his leg distractedly.

Ginny appears from the bathroom. "I'm ready!"

Harry isn't listening. "What is up with you two?" he asks.

"What do you mean?" asks Hermione, trying in vain to suppress her smile.

"You've been grinning like idiots since you got here, and Ron's acting like he's been Confunded."

The two of them share a glance, as though communicating without words. Ron rolls his eyes with a look that clearly says he's lost the silent debate, and Hermione turns back to Harry, looking positively radiant.

"We're getting married!"

* * *

_So yeah, I was trying to say that Hermione looked like an angel because she was radiantly happy but I couldn't quite find a way to put that into the word count, haha. Plus it was kind of Harry's POV and I didn't think he'd really say (or think) that. _

_Apologies to Senorita Sassybuns for including a marriage proposal ... hopefully it is not cliche though, since a) it is not the end of the story yet, b) we didn't see the actual proposal and c) it's not Harry and Ginny. Feel free to condemn me anyway, heh._

_Please review!_


	48. Ball

_What is this, an update? Sorry guys, the holidays got a bit crazy, and I got a bit lazy :) Here is the third-last chapter!_

_Shoutouts go to werewolfatemyphoenix, mystrymoviebrunette x5 (your reviews totally made my day! Thanks so much!), purelywhite-nami, Atayla, Sparky Dorian, SilverLily1, ForbiddenLove7, yellow 14, Little Emily, Senorita Sassybuns (I'm glad it was to your standards ;)), whispered touches, Blondebunny55, original509, ctc, S0phfeist (Wow, hugest compliment right there! I'm so flattered!), 91698padfoot, allie's hope x2, maximumpotter101 x9, Phyllis811, xXMizLilyEvansXx and NinjaDinosaurGirl. Whoa, so many! That's totally epic, guys. By the way, we are nearly at 700 (hint, hint)._

_Some good news: I am planning on doing a sequel to this story. It will be a slightly different format, because it will be from a different challenge, but stay tuned and I'll let you know the details. Okay, onward!_

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48. Ball

**Thursday**

"Harry, have you seen my gold earrings?"

Harry is sitting at the kitchen table, uncomfortable in his dress robes. "No," he calls to the bathroom, glancing at his watch; if Ginny takes much longer, they are going to be late, but he knows better than to mention this fact.

It has been a long day. First, the whole Weasley clan attended the dawn vigil, held in the grounds of Hogwarts. They placed flowers by the lake in memory of Fred, and all those who gave their lives during the war; afterwards, they all trooped back to the Burrow for Victoire's second birthday party.

It has been a day of mixed emotions. Out of respect for those who are mourning their dead, the second of May is always a subdued affair, but all over the country witches are wizards are celebrating victory. Victoire's party was full of light and laughter, and even George tried not to let his grief overshadow the occasion. It is a day of tears, but also of joy.

And now, they are preparing for the Commemoration Ball. It has been held every year since the first anniversary of Voldemort's downfall, and witches and wizards from all over the country attend. Being both a Ministry employee and the Chosen One, Harry cannot hope to escape it.

Ginny finally emerges from the bathroom. Her mauve gown swishes against the floor with each movement, and Harry has trouble dragging his eyes from its neckline.

"Come on, Harry, we're late!"

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_Oh, Ginny. It's okay, I totally do that too!_


	49. Red Bra

_Omg, second last chapter... and timely, too!_

_I'm listening to The Cat Empire. Just thought I'd mention that. If you haven't heard them, look 'em up on iTunes or something - they're freakin' awesome._

_I always love getting reviews for this story - it always amazes me when I log onto my emails and see all those alerts. I think I got about four within half an hour of updating this time!_

_Shoutouts go to: NinjaDinosaurGirl, GinnyPotter4evr, Meisterburger (I think you win Penname-of-the-Week), Sugarplumjellygum, purelywhite-nami, Elise Suzanne, Sapphire-Rosethorn, Little Emily, sammyfish, ForbiddenLove7, yellow 14, bookword1256, original509, ThePeriwinkleHobo (also an awesome name - and I think you were 701, but thanks all the same!), xxxBekaForEvaxxx, werewolfatemyphoenix, S0phfiest, Blondebunny55, 91698padfoot, SilverLily1 and Laurel Tree. You guys are amazing, as usual!_

_On a more serious note, you guys may have heard of the pretty devastating floods that are happening right now in Queensland. Nowhere near where I live, thank goodness, but 16 people have been killed so far, with around 60 still missing, and thousands of houses are severely damaged or still underwater. Meanwhile, showing just how contrary Australia can be, there are destructive bushfires in Western Australia ... It's been heartbreaking watching it all on the news. If you could keep those affected in your thoughts and/or prayers, that would be awesome._

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**49. Red Bra  
Friday**

It is past midnight when the door bursts open and two people appear, already fumbling with each other's clothes. Nimble fingers unfasten the gold clasp on black dress robes, while sweaty hands slip on mauve silk enclosing a slim waist.

Ginny's mouth is swollen from their kisses. She can taste the wine on Harry's breath and knows hers is the same, but it doesn't matter; somehow, he intoxicates her more than any alcohol can.

She pulls the robes over his head. As soon as his face emerges, he crushes his mouth to hers again, as though that momentary separation was too much to bear.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers.

Her dress has buttons down the side; Harry undoes them with desperate fingers. Ginny whimpers.

The sound seems to stir Harry from his haze of lust. His fingers pause on the final button.

"What?"

"I—we—" He gazes at her face. "Gin, we can't do this."

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"We're drunk! You're not ready—I don't want you to regret it—"

Ginny steps back from him, their eyes locked. For a second, Harry thinks he's made her angry, but she slowly draws her dress down her shoulders until it pools at her feet.

"Do you think I'd have worn red lingerie tonight if I wasn't ready?" she asks.

Harry stares at for her a second, but then she reaches out a hand and he follows her to the bedroom, where the door clicks shut behind them.

* * *

_Teehee, I think this is my naughtiest chapter ... Ginny you minx! Anyway, yeah, hope it made sense - and please review! I think I'm addicted ..._


	50. Dream

_Hey guys! Hey guys! I MADE IT!_

_For this last chapter, shoutouts go to EVERYONE who's reviewed, added this story to favourites or to alerts. You guys mean the world to me, you really do! For the laster chapter, I want to thank Sugarplumjellygum, Elise Suzanne, SilverLily1, Morgana Potter Lupin, yellow 14, centralbulldogs, Laurel Tree, purelywhite-nami, xxxBekaForEvaxxx, ctc, Atayla, ForbiddenLove7, Senorita Sassybuns, S0phfiest, 91698padfoot, werewolfatemyphoenix, glowyrm, LittleEmily, IwishIwasanOscarMyerWiener, NinjaDinosaurGirl, original509 and Sapphire Rosethorn._

_Cookies go to xxxBekaForEvaxxx, who is officially my longest-standing reviewer - she's been reading since chapter 4! Thanks for putting up with me for so long!_

_Someone commented that they thought Ginny and Harry had hit the sack ages ago. They have slept together before, but not since Ginny left. Sorry that wasn't clear._

_Someone else was disappointed that there was no table dancing (sorry - great idea though!). Yet another person thought that they should have done it on the table. I admit, that thought crossed my mind back when I was first planning this story, but I didn't remember when I finally got to this chapter ... may have been a bit too naughty though ;)_

_I'm sure I'll have lots more to say at the end of this chapter, so onward for now!_

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**50. Dream**  
**Saturday**

Saturday morning finds Harry and Ginny indulging in a leisurely breakfast, lazing about and talking about nothing and everything.

"I can't believe Ron and Hermione are engaged," says Ginny.

"Mmm."

She cocks her head and looks closely at him. "What?"

"Nothing," says Harry, a little too quickly. She does not let him off that easily.

"Is there something the matter, Harry?"

"No, of course not," he protests. "It's just—"

"Just what?"

He sighs. "I had a dream last night.

Her stomach drops. "Oh, Harry! I didn't realise—"

"No," he says. "It wasn't a nightmare."

"Then what was it?"

Harry looks her in the eye. "It was about _you. _Well, about us."

"Tell me about it," she breathes, eyes shining.

And so he describes this dream to her, the first happy dream he's had in four years. He describes how the two of them sat at a table in a rambling garden, by the house that was all their own. He tells her how a wedding ring sparkled on her finger in the sunlight. He tells her how she glowed, and how he couldn't stop smiling with pride and happiness and a million other feelings that threatened to explode as he caressed her gently swollen belly.

For the first time, Harry is not afraid of what the future might bring. For the first time, all he feels is hope, and joy, and love for the woman across the table from him, and he knows she can feel it too.

* * *

_I've been planning this chapter since the very beginning, so to finally have it written and published feels totally amazing. I've been writing this story since I was preparing for my year 12 exams more than a year ago. Now, fifty chapters later, I'm preparing to move 3000km for university (I'm doing music - very exciting!)._

_I never really thought anyone would like this story, let alone that I'd get seven hundred reviews for it ... you guys are absolutely incredible and I can't thank you enough. I've had people compare me to JK Rowling (which is the biggest compliment an HP fanfic writer can get!), people ask me to introduce them to a man like Harry (I wish I could!), people say I've made them cry and people say they've read the whole thing in one hit. For something that was originally a writing exercise, to try and make my writing less wordy, those things totally blow my mind._

_I've probably think of a whole lot more things I wanted to say once I've published this, but I think I'll leave it there..._

_Regarding the sequel, I'm still working it all out, but it won't be the same as this one. It might be some 'missing moments' or a few extra episodes, but it will not be a straight continuation. If you'd like to know when it comes out, add me to your author alerts, and you'll get a lovely informative email when I publish it!_

_I think that is everything I have to say. Thank you again for being such loyal readers! Hey guys! I actually finished a multi-chapter fic! I'm so proud of myself! :) =_

_So long!_


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